1 00:00:10,850 --> 00:00:13,990 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Crosswalk Devotional. We're so glad to have 2 00:00:14,030 --> 00:00:17,660 Speaker 1: you as a listener. Today's topic is when someone else 3 00:00:17,710 --> 00:00:21,239 Speaker 1: receives the blessing you wanted. We'll be right back after 4 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:37,570 Speaker 1: a message from our sponsor. When someone else receives the 5 00:00:37,610 --> 00:00:42,610 Speaker 1: blessing you wanted. Written by Laura Bailey. Read by Laura Bailey. 6 00:00:44,229 --> 00:00:46,830 Speaker 1: Now Joshua, son of Nun, was filled with the spirit 7 00:00:46,870 --> 00:00:49,349 Speaker 1: of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. 8 00:00:50,030 --> 00:00:52,350 Speaker 1: So the Israelites listened to him and did what the 9 00:00:52,390 --> 00:00:58,860 Speaker 1: Lord had commanded Moses. Deuteronomy 34 9 NIV. Laura, I 10 00:00:58,900 --> 00:01:01,220 Speaker 1: have the best news. Call me as soon as you can. 11 00:01:01,540 --> 00:01:04,060 Speaker 1: My friend's cheerful voice played it through the speaker on 12 00:01:04,100 --> 00:01:07,300 Speaker 1: my phone. My heart sank. I knew exactly what she 13 00:01:07,340 --> 00:01:11,220 Speaker 1: was going to tell me. And well, I was happy 14 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:15,959 Speaker 1: for her, truly. But there was a twinge of jealousy. 15 00:01:16,819 --> 00:01:22,160 Speaker 1: Maybe grief. Maybe annoyance. Maybe all of the above. Because 16 00:01:22,500 --> 00:01:24,740 Speaker 1: I figured she was going to tell me the news 17 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:28,539 Speaker 1: that I was waiting myself to hear. I dialed her 18 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:32,860 Speaker 1: number and braced myself to receive the news. Guess what? 19 00:01:33,250 --> 00:01:36,280 Speaker 1: They accepted my book proposal. I'm going to be a 20 00:01:36,420 --> 00:01:40,620 Speaker 1: published author, she exclaimed. I'm so excited for you. I 21 00:01:41,260 --> 00:01:44,060 Speaker 1: know this opportunity is something you've desired for a while, 22 00:01:44,660 --> 00:01:47,310 Speaker 1: and I'm glad that the Lord has provided this opportunity, 23 00:01:47,390 --> 00:01:52,550 Speaker 1: I responded. Okay, I know what you're thinking. That's not 24 00:01:52,570 --> 00:01:56,830 Speaker 1: a very genuine response, but here's the deal. I was 25 00:01:56,990 --> 00:02:00,540 Speaker 1: actually extremely happy for my friend. It's just that, well, 26 00:02:01,420 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 1: I wanted to receive that blessing too. Have you ever 27 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 1: felt that way? Recently in Bible study, we studied Deuteronomy 34, 28 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:13,419 Speaker 1: where we see Moses passing down the leadership role to Joshua. 29 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 1: The main takeaways from our lesson were the value of mentorship, 30 00:02:17,700 --> 00:02:21,240 Speaker 1: the importance of pouring into the next generation, and to 31 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:26,300 Speaker 1: highlight Moses' lifetime of faithfulness. And while those are timeless truths, 32 00:02:26,900 --> 00:02:30,020 Speaker 1: this text clearly displays to the reader, I couldn't help 33 00:02:30,100 --> 00:02:32,639 Speaker 1: but be caught up in the fact that Moses, after 34 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:35,460 Speaker 1: all his work, wasn't going to enter the Promised Land. 35 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:39,389 Speaker 1: Let me give you a little backstory. See, Moses led 36 00:02:39,430 --> 00:02:43,230 Speaker 1: the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt. And it wasn't 37 00:02:43,350 --> 00:02:46,230 Speaker 1: an easy task. These people were a bunch of complainers. 38 00:02:47,410 --> 00:02:53,300 Speaker 1: Numbers 11.1. They often questioned Moses. Numbers 14.4. And even 39 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 1: worshipped other gods at times. Exodus 32.1. Yet through all 40 00:02:57,919 --> 00:03:02,329 Speaker 1: of this, including a 40-year detour in the wilderness... Moses 41 00:03:02,370 --> 00:03:05,730 Speaker 1: not only stuck with the people, but he also sacrificed 42 00:03:05,850 --> 00:03:10,769 Speaker 1: and served them well. Moses was faithful, even though he 43 00:03:10,830 --> 00:03:14,790 Speaker 1: wasn't always flawless. But he remained obedient to what God 44 00:03:14,830 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 1: commanded him to do. There was, however, one incident where 45 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:23,240 Speaker 1: Moses decided to go against what the Lord commanded. There 46 00:03:23,260 --> 00:03:26,080 Speaker 1: was a water shortage, and Moses went before the Lord 47 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:29,400 Speaker 1: asking for help. The Lord told Moses to gather people 48 00:03:30,020 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 1: and speak over the rock. Moses did bring the people together, 49 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:36,260 Speaker 1: but instead of just speaking to the rock, he struck 50 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:40,430 Speaker 1: it twice with his staff. Water gushes out, but the Lord, 51 00:03:40,550 --> 00:03:44,230 Speaker 1: because of Moses' disobedience, says that he will not enter 52 00:03:44,270 --> 00:03:49,890 Speaker 1: the promised land. Numbers 21, 1-13. Fast forward to our 53 00:03:49,930 --> 00:03:54,220 Speaker 1: key verse in Deuteronomy 34, 9, where we see Moses 54 00:03:54,260 --> 00:03:57,260 Speaker 1: blessing Joshua as he prepares to lead the Israelites into 55 00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:01,540 Speaker 1: the promised land. Bearing in mind Moses' history, I can't 56 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 1: help but wonder if he felt a little bit remorseful 57 00:04:04,020 --> 00:04:07,300 Speaker 1: over Joshua receiving the blessing of entering the promised land 58 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:11,340 Speaker 1: over himself. Promised land was the end goal for these people. 59 00:04:11,820 --> 00:04:14,540 Speaker 1: So naturally, Moses would have thought that it would be 60 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:18,580 Speaker 1: a part of that experience. Instead, Moses is about to 61 00:04:18,620 --> 00:04:20,830 Speaker 1: die at the edge of the promised land. He will 62 00:04:20,950 --> 00:04:23,310 Speaker 1: never set foot in the land that will be a 63 00:04:23,350 --> 00:04:27,330 Speaker 1: blessing to God's people. As I meditated on these verses, 64 00:04:27,410 --> 00:04:29,830 Speaker 1: the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart, enlightening a truth 65 00:04:29,850 --> 00:04:34,110 Speaker 1: I'd never noticed before. While Moses didn't enter the earthly 66 00:04:34,170 --> 00:04:39,060 Speaker 1: promised land, he did enter the eternal promised land. What 67 00:04:39,300 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 1: I deemed as a slight, a misblessing by God to Moses, 68 00:04:44,900 --> 00:04:50,050 Speaker 1: God actually had something better. In full transparency, it still 69 00:04:50,130 --> 00:04:53,050 Speaker 1: sings that my friend received the blessings I too desired. 70 00:04:53,730 --> 00:04:55,510 Speaker 1: But I cling to the truth that God is faithful. 71 00:04:56,130 --> 00:04:59,330 Speaker 1: And oftentimes, the way He answers our prayers and blesses 72 00:04:59,470 --> 00:05:06,050 Speaker 1: us is far better than we can imagine. Ephesians 3.20 73 00:05:06,050 --> 00:05:13,510 Speaker 1: Do you ever find it difficult to be happy for 74 00:05:13,610 --> 00:05:16,990 Speaker 1: others who receive the blessing you wanted? How does knowing 75 00:05:17,050 --> 00:05:20,490 Speaker 1: that God often answers our desires and prayers better than 76 00:05:20,529 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 1: we imagined give you encouragement for today? For further reading, 77 00:05:25,710 --> 00:05:28,390 Speaker 1: Check out A Prayer to Be Happy When God is 78 00:05:28,430 --> 00:05:33,430 Speaker 1: Generous to Others or Deuteronomy 34. 79 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 2: Thanks for listening to today's devotional. If you liked what 80 00:05:38,779 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 2: you heard today, we want to make sure you know 81 00:05:40,940 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 2: about our sister podcast, Your Daily Prayer. When you follow 82 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:48,240 Speaker 2: Your Daily Prayer in your favorite podcast app, you'll get 83 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 2: a brand new prayer and devotional each day so your 84 00:05:51,420 --> 00:05:55,050 Speaker 2: days begin in conversation with God. If you're looking to 85 00:05:55,110 --> 00:05:57,849 Speaker 2: grow in prayer or start your day with your heart 86 00:05:57,930 --> 00:06:02,010 Speaker 2: focused on the right things, search for Your Daily Prayer 87 00:06:02,370 --> 00:06:05,210 Speaker 2: in your favorite podcast app and be sure to follow 88 00:06:05,250 --> 00:06:08,169 Speaker 2: the show so you get a new prayer delivered straight 89 00:06:08,230 --> 00:06:09,650 Speaker 2: to you each morning.