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Speaker 1: Welcome to the Crosswalk Devotional. We're so glad to have you as a listener. Today's topic is when someone else receives the blessing you wanted. We'll be right back after a message from our sponsor. When someone else receives the blessing you wanted. Written by Laura Bailey. Read by Laura Bailey. 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. Deuteronomy 34 9 NIV. Laura, I have the best news. Call me as soon as you can. My friend's cheerful voice played it through the speaker on my phone. My heart sank. I knew exactly what she was going to tell me. And well, I was happy for her, truly. But there was a twinge of jealousy. Maybe grief. Maybe annoyance. Maybe all of the above. Because I figured she was going to tell me the news that I was waiting myself to hear. I dialed her number and braced myself to receive the news. Guess what? They accepted my book proposal. I'm going to be a published author, she exclaimed. I'm so excited for you. I know this opportunity is something you've desired for a while, and I'm glad that the Lord has provided this opportunity, I responded. Okay, I know what you're thinking. That's not a very genuine response, but here's the deal. I was actually extremely happy for my friend. It's just that, well, I wanted to receive that blessing too. Have you ever felt that way? Recently in Bible study, we studied Deuteronomy 34, where we see Moses passing down the leadership role to Joshua. The main takeaways from our lesson were the value of mentorship, the importance of pouring into the next generation, and to highlight Moses' lifetime of faithfulness. And while those are timeless truths, this text clearly displays to the reader, I couldn't help but be caught up in the fact that Moses, after all his work, wasn't going to enter the Promised Land. Let me give you a little backstory. See, Moses led the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt. And it wasn't an easy task. These people were a bunch of complainers. Numbers 11.1. They often questioned Moses. Numbers 14.4. And even worshipped other gods at times. Exodus 32.1. Yet through all of this, including a 40-year detour in the wilderness... Moses not only stuck with the people, but he also sacrificed and served them well. Moses was faithful, even though he wasn't always flawless. But he remained obedient to what God commanded him to do. There was, however, one incident where Moses decided to go against what the Lord commanded. There was a water shortage, and Moses went before the Lord asking for help. The Lord told Moses to gather people and speak over the rock. Moses did bring the people together, but instead of just speaking to the rock, he struck it twice with his staff. Water gushes out, but the Lord, because of Moses' disobedience, says that he will not enter the promised land. Numbers 21, 1-13. Fast forward to our key verse in Deuteronomy 34, 9, where we see Moses blessing Joshua as he prepares to lead the Israelites into the promised land. Bearing in mind Moses' history, I can't help but wonder if he felt a little bit remorseful over Joshua receiving the blessing of entering the promised land over himself. Promised land was the end goal for these people. So naturally, Moses would have thought that it would be a part of that experience. Instead, Moses is about to die at the edge of the promised land. He will never set foot in the land that will be a blessing to God's people. As I meditated on these verses, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart, enlightening a truth I'd never noticed before. While Moses didn't enter the earthly promised land, he did enter the eternal promised land. What I deemed as a slight, a misblessing by God to Moses, God actually had something better. In full transparency, it still sings that my friend received the blessings I too desired. But I cling to the truth that God is faithful. And oftentimes, the way He answers our prayers and blesses us is far better than we can imagine. Ephesians 3.20 Do you ever find it difficult to be happy for others who receive the blessing you wanted? How does knowing that God often answers our desires and prayers better than we imagined give you encouragement for today? For further reading, Check out A Prayer to Be Happy When God is Generous to Others or Deuteronomy 34.
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