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1 Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the LORD showed him the whole land—from Gilead to Dan, 2 all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, 3 the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. 4 Then the LORD said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.” 5 And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. 6 He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. 7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. 8 The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over. 9 Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the LORD had commanded Moses. 10 Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, 11 who did all those signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. 12 For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel. (Deuteronomy 34:1-12 NIV Bible)
A most joyous of days, may this Wednesday be to you, dear Friend; for you see on this day some many, many years ago, your servant was born in Kingsville, Texas, to Maria del Jesus Jimenez Valverde, and Eradio Valverde, Sr. Both of these fine people are now in the presence of the Lord, and I am thankful to be alive, thanks to them and thanks to God, Who continues to bless and watch me. I pray this finds you well and enjoying God's awesome blesssings surprising you over and over again. May this translate into joyful prayer and praise and reflection. Let us pray for one another, especially for those who have asked prayers of us, and let us pray for those nobody wants or even sees. May they come to know love and acceptance from us. And a wonderful birthday to my birthday partner, my granddaughter, Eliana Beth Garcia! Happy Birthday, Eliana! Grandpa and Grandma love you!!
I will never forget my walking off a plane at Orlando's airport on Sunday afternoon, February 18, 2001. We had survived the first year after Y2K and we were still alive and well. The zombie apocalypse did not occur and I had a meeting to attend in O-Town. The usually busy and joyous airport, think Disney, was strangely quiet. The TVs in every lounge area had people glued to them. Some were hugging one another, others were outright crying. Sadness in Mickey's town? Could it be? I finally asked a stranger what had happened that had everyone there so sad? Then I learned that Dale Earnhardt had died that afternoon not far from the Orlando airport. The Daytona 500 had claimed the life of the current king of NASCAR at the young age of 49, and his subjects were in mourning. Those of us who were not too intimate with that type of racing could not understand such grief, but those of you who are maybe still mourn the senseless death of a legend. Death is never easy and death always hits closer that we expect.
Another king's death is shared in today's passage. For all intents and purposes, Moses was the king of the Israelites as they made their trek from Egypt into the wilderness as their 40 year journey neared an end. I have made reference to Moses being the senior pastor of First Exodus, but he was much more. He was the father of the movement that first shaped the religion we know as Judaism. He was also a father of our faith as he set in motion what faithfulness and fruitfulness looked like when one person says yes to God. Moses had what we can say was an interesting life; born during a time when baby boys did not survive due to poliitcal pressure from the Pharoah, who feared what more male Jews could do to his nation. Moses was blessed with an astute mom who made sure he was born and not instantly killed, and he had an equally smart sister who made the right moves to get Moses adopted into the right family and that this new family hired Moses' momma to be his nurse maid. He was raised in a royal setting and never lacked for anything; his big mistake was killing an oppressive aggressor that was threatening a fellow Jew. Moses chose to leave Egypt to escape legal consequences from Pharoah. Led by God to the right family who took him in as he married Zipporah, he became a shepherd when he encountered the Real Shepherd, God Himself who called him into service. Moses got to the border of the new homeland but was told by God that he would not enter it. Where we pick the story up, Moses is shown the promised land -from Gilead to Dan, all of Nephtali, the territy of Ephraim and Manasseh, all fhe land of Judah, all the way to the Mediterranean Sea, the Negev and the entire region of Jericho and its Valley, and as far as Zoar. "That's the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," God told him, and I promised that I would give it to their descendents, and I have shown it to you, but you will not enter it." And with that, Moses the great leader, was dead and God buried him in a spot that to this day no one knows where it is. Moses was 120 years old when he breathed his last, and yet, the Bible says, he still did not need glasses, had they been around, and Geritol was not needed either, for Moses was still a strong man. Then the mourning began for this king of a still-forming nation.
Right before his death, Moses anointed Joshua as the new leader of Israel. And Joshua was blessed with the spirit of wisdom. But Moses remained among the greatest of the prophets, "whom the Lord knew face-to-face" and Moses was able to do things only because God was with him, and even went up against Pharoah and his officials and saw the liberation promised to this people happen. Moses died a great man in the eyes of all of Israel.
Of all the Moses did, the greatest thing was the relationship with God was what impressed me more. Given all he had to endure as the dirver of a huge station wagon filled with unruly kids, he enjoyed the ear and heart of God with which he was blessed in the good and the bad. The relationship continued for when Jesus had His transfiguration event, as the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, said that Moses and Elijah would come back, which they did when they visited Jesus in the wilderness. What an amazing thing to strive for! It begins with our faith allowing us to say yes to God in whatever God may ask of us, and our being receptive to seeking Him out in the good and the bad; never giving up, and holding steady to what has blessed us in our lives with His gifts of faith, love, and hope.
PRAYER: Loving and awesome God, bless our lives to be obedient and trusting like Moses. Help us to always know You are with us and You will guide us to where You would have us be and do; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blesssed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Say yes to God today!
Receive my blessings of joy and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr. Past devotionals are available here:
