The Israelites were camping on the
border of the Promised Land, ready to go in and possess the land.
But God told Moses that he won't be able to go with them into the
Promised Land due to his disobedience at the waters of Meribah.
Moses pleaded with God to let him enter the Promised Land with the
people, but God said no. It is quite sad for me. Moses did so many
things right and only because he did this one thing wrong, he
couldn't enter the Promised Land. It feels so unfair. Poor Moses
had to put up with so much from the Israelites and due to this one
act, he wasn't allowed into the Promised Land.
But it seems to me that God expects
so much more from those to whom He gave more. The same principle is
demonstrated in the parable that Jesus told about the loaned money.
I am sure you all know it. The master went on a long trip, but
before he went, he gave 5 bags of gold to his one servant, 2 bags
to the other servant and one bag to the third servant. He asked
them to invest it for him while he was gone. The first one worked
with the gold and had a 100% return, instead of 5 bags he now had
10 bags. The second servant also had a 100% return, instead of 2
bags he now had 4 bags. But the third servant did nothing with his
gold and had a 0% return. When the master returned, he was pleased
with the first two, but displeased with the third one because he
didn't even try. From the one given 5 bags, much was expected, but
from the one given 1 bag, not a lot was expected. The master didn't
expect him to have 10 bags all of a sudden, but he expected at
least some form of return.
More is expected from those to whom
a lot is given. Moses experienced God like no other man after him.
He lived in such close proximity to God, his face even glowed. And
therefore God expected him to act accordingly and to obey Him in
every command given. And when he didn't, the discipline he received
was more severe than what another Israelite would have
received.
And today it is still the same. God
expects more of mature Christians, than He would of Christians who
are still infants in the faith. That is why Paul gets so angry with
the Corinthian church. They were supposed to grow in the Lord and
they were supposed to show this through acting like mature children
of God. But they didn't:
"I had to talk to you as though you
belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the
Christian life. I had to feed you with milk and not solid food,
because you couldn't handle anything stronger. And you still aren't
ready, for you are still controlled by your own sinful desires." 1
Corinthians 3:1-3
The longer you are a Christian, the
more is expected of you. Sins that didn't bother you before will
start bothering you now. I have experienced this in my walk with
God. Sin that I used to do a few years ago, bothers me so much now,
I cannot do it anymore. And God expects me to let it go. It is very
difficult to do, but if one wants to grow, that is one of the
growing pains we need to endure.
The more you grow in Him, the more
He expects you to be the light to the world and to be an example to
other people. By your actions you are suppose to win people for
Christ and not lose them. That is why God takes your actions so
seriously. May God help you in this journey and may He give you the
strength to resist temptations that might be detrimental to your
relationship with Him and other people.
Father please give us the strength
to honor and obey You. You are our God and our King and we want to
exalt Your Name on high. Please give us the strength to do just
that and to grow into the mature Christians You want us to be. In
Jesus Name. Amen