“At this time, too, I entreated the LORD, saying: ‘O Lord God, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your might; what god in heaven or earth can perform deeds and mighty acts like yours! Let me cross over to see the good land beyond the Jordan, that good hill country and the Lebanon.’ But the LORD was angry with me on your account and would not heed me. The LORD said to me, ‘Enough from you! Never speak to me of this matter again! Go up to the top of Pisgah and look around you to the west, to the north, to the south, and to the east. Look well, for you shall not cross over this Jordan. But charge Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, because it is he who shall cross over at the head of this people and who shall secure their possession of the land that you will see.’ So we remained in the valley opposite Bethpeor. So now, Israel, give heed to the statutes and ordinances that I am teaching you to observe, so that you may live to enter and occupy the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors is giving you.” Deuteronomy 3:23-4:1
“Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”, how many times have I prayed this line? Does my faith back up my prayer? Moses, selected by God to lead Israel out of slavery, through the wilderness, to the edge of but not into the Promised Land. “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. Moses requests to enter, so he can see, God says no, hush. “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. God directs Moses to place where he can take it all in, with his eyes; it is only through his vision he enters. “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. God directs Moses to prepare his number 2, Joshua, to lead the people in. (Good lesson for United Methodist congregations to learn and remember, God can and does provide new leadership to continue the journey - “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”.) A lesson for each of us, we know Moses crossed over another Jordan, into heaven, into eternal life with God. So while God was angry with Moses for striking the rock, God also obviously forgave Moses for that sin. Forgiven by God, Moses again is holy, righteous and able to be in God’s presence. “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. In this season of lent, in all my days, do I remain faithful, do I continue to journey with and serve God as God asks, even when God says, “Enough from you, hush”? God’s no in the present, is His business, mine is to trust and obey and have faith that the greater reward is beyond the Jordan of God’s choosing….. O that I remember the greatest good, eternal life with God. “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”!