Our Text today records an earnest request Moses prayed to God, one of the last such in the man’s illustrious career. He here (Deuteronomy 3:23-28) asks God to allow him to enter the Land of Canaan!
Verse 25 specifies, quoting Moses: “I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.”
But God said (emphatically) “NO!”
The following verse tells us that God was “wroth” with Moses!
And God “would not hear” the man’s prayer!
And that the Lord commanded Moses: “Speak no more unto Me of this matter.”
Unanswered prayer!
More than that, forbidden prayer!
However, God in His Grace did let Moses’ view the land from afar!
But not enter it.
There are reasons for this denial.
Sin being behind them all.
But still … God refusing (delaying is a better word) a request of a dear Servant!
The same thing happened to Jeremiah, on a number of occasions.
Note Jeremiah 7:16 … “Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee.”
The same thing happened to Paul the Apostle!
In 2nd Corinthians 12:8, speaking of a “thorn in the flesh,” the Apostle relates: “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.” Three times! Paul begged God!
But … the “thorn” stays! “And he (the Lord) said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
Wow!
All I’m wondering today … are we any better than Moses or Jeremiah or Paul?
Might not there be a time that God would tell us (undoubtedly for our own good) … NO?
Something to think about this Friday morning.
When God says NO.
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
Part of growing up, maturing, just may be learning to accept refusal (“NO”) and staying cheerful, productive in our Christian lives!
Any comments today?
Text number … 770-844-7627