Unchanged Consequence

Deut. 34:4-5

And the LORD said to him, "This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, 'I will give it to your offspring.'I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there."So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.

God did as He said concerning Moses even though he was a prophet like none other whom the Lord knew face to face, none like him for all the signs and the wonders that the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt...and for all the mighty power and all the great deeds of terror that Moses did in the sight of the all Israel. Still, in spite of his great track record, God did not allow him to go into the land. He could only look before he died. Why? Moses broke faith with God in the midst of the people when they were at Meribah. He did not treat God as holy before the people that God had called him to lead. At first reading it sounds so harsh since Moses faithfully interceded for those people time after time, listening to their grumbling and discontent, taking their desires before the Lord, leading them for 40 years when they balked and fought him step by step, and dealing with their rebellion, plagues, and illnesses. He was constantly cleaning up after their disobedience, yet he blew it this one time, and there was no slack for him. Sometimes, there is no mercy. Our only course of action is to accept the consequence of our actions, of our disobedience, knowing that it is God sovereign plan and purpose for our lives. Then, I also think that Moses must have had a very special relationship with God to have such a heavy consequence for his action, from the one who is given much, much is required. Moses must have known that his consequence was just since he really didn't whine or try to change God's mind; instead he just asked for mercy. When God stayed unchanged, he accepted it. What a warning to me! Am I always upholding God as holy before the people He has placed in my life? Am I breaking faith with God? He is serious about His holiness and He expects me to be serious as well.

Father,

You are holy, and I praise You for this holiness. Grow me strong so that Your Spirit controls me in times when I waver and begin to falter. Perfect Your power in my weakness so that I don't break faith or neglect to uphold Your holiness before others.

In Jesus name,

Amen