WATCHWORD:
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
So the Lord made a covenant with Abram that day and said, “I have given this land to your descendants, all the way from the border of Egypt to the great Euphrates River. Exodus 15:18
One day Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Take these people up to the Promised Land.’ But you haven’t told me whom you will send with me. You have told me, ‘I know you by name, and I look favorably on you. Exodus 33:12
And the Lord was also angry with me because of you. He said to me, ‘Moses, not even you will enter the Promised Land! Deuteronomy 1:37
Meditation:
Promised Land
We read a lot about the promised land, and how God commissioned Moses to lead the Israelites across the desert to the very banks of the Jordan River. It is here that the sins God has placed on Moses prevented him from entering the promised land.
God set the boundaries of the Promised Land from the Mediterranean Sea to the Euphrates River, the northern border of Egypt, and encompassed the regions that became Judea, Samaria, and Galilee. It was a land that God declared was flowing with milk and honey, and, indeed, it is an area rich in natural resources. Today it is one of the contested hotspots on the globe.
We can place the Promised Land, the Land of Canaan, in a geographic area as specified in the Bible. But there is the Promise Land as a theological concept and we see that in both the Old and New Testaments. God’s promises are to the next generations, blessing us, his faithful followers. We enter into this Promised Land when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, and through faith and faithfulness. In that sense, this is a personal Promised Land, one that dwells within our hearts, along with the Holy Spirit.
We all have a choice. We can be Moses-like, in our failure to act out our faith, and be denied entrance to that internal peace of mind, called the Promised Land. Or we can be Joshua-like and be strong and of courage in our commitment to Christ and truly cross the Jordan River, that is our baptism of the Holy Spirit. We have that choice every day, from our first waking moments to when we close our eyes in slumber. This Promised Land is a metaphor pointing to salvation in Jesus Christ and His promise of the Kingdom of God. Amen.
Closing Prayer:
Almighty God, by the power of your Holy Spirit Open our eyes, ears, hearts hello very lives to your presents so that today we may worship and serve you in faithfulness, the blessing and healing reminders of your love to all whose lives we touch. We offer our prayers in the name of Christ. Amen.
