Focus On God's Future for You...Forget The Mistakes Of Your Past

Deuteronomy 34:5-8 -  And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said. He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is.  Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone.  The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.

Moses…still full of strength and faith…eyes and heart focused on God like no other before him…climbed Mount Nebo to see the land that God was giving to the Israelites. At 120 years young…God brought his mission of life to an end…and buried him in secrecy. We are not told how long Moses lived on that Mountain…but I am sure in my heart that he spent every last minute God gave him praying over what he saw…for God to bless them…to given them all the strength they would need to succeed with Joshua as their new leader.

Think of the most majestic view God has ever allowed your eyes to see. Consider the awestruck panoramic view of the Grand Canyon…Look Out Mountain in Chattanooga TN…Clingman’s Dome near my own home….or even the view from the tallest Mountains known to man…the google says that there are at least 109 mountains with elevations greater than 7,200 meters worldwide. None of those compared to what Moses saw when God focused his eyes of Canaan.

Here’s what really struck me… Moses never argued one time with God about his last moments.  He knew he deserved what God had spoken and was content to stare at this land in the presence of his Lord as long as God would allow. I just bet there were non-stop prayers for those people till he took his last breath…. a sort of prayer walk with his eyes.

I needed the reminder not to focus on the mistakes that placed me where I am…but to keep my mind and heart and soul completely focused on God so he can tell me what to do next. Jeremiah 29:11 seeps out of my being…and I am once again sure that he has a purpose for me...to prosper me...for my life to benefit others with good...not evil. Even if what is next is death…I can look forward to seeing Jesus face-to –face myself…and my knees buckling under me as I stand in his glorious presence.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you are in control of every minute detail of my life. Forgive me for focusing too many times on the mistakes I made…letting them drag me down and make me unusable to be your servant.  Help me to tap into the same power and strength that Moses had…with prayer…with two –way conversations that will empower me to do your will…and with Bible study…that will teach me all that you placed me here to do. Help me to focus on the future you have for me...instead of bashing myself for the mistakes that have slowed me down. Amen.