The Promised Land

 Read these words from Exodus 34:1-5:

Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the LORD showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the Negeb, and the Plain -- that is, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees -- as far as Zoar.  The LORD said to him, "This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants'; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there."  Then Moses, the servant of the LORD, died there in the land of Moab, at  the Lord's command.

I've always thought this passage was a sad.  Moses has been leading the Israelites, following God, for so many years, and yet he only gets to SEE the promised land - not go there. 

A few other thoughts, though (although I don't offer these as an explanation of why Moses didn't get to go to the Promised Land):

1. Some of us are called for a particular time - "for such a time as this."  Moses certainly was. He led the people through the wilderness to the promise.  What situation have you been called to? What is your "such a time as this?"
2. I've seen churches become dependent on a particular long-time pastor. The church flourishes under the pastor's leadership, but isn't equipped for when the pastor leaves.  Imagine the transition to Joshua in this story. Perhaps this change of situation was the best time to change leaders?
3. The first thought I had about this passage today was that we often are called to plant seeds.  When you plant seeds, sometime you are not there to see the trees grow.  The trees are for another generation - a generation that will rejoice that you planted seeds.  What seeds are you planting? What trees are you grateful someone else planted?