Page 69 - Living Light Autumn 23

Thursday November 23 - Passing it on
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...
Deuteronomy 34:9
Because of the power and poignancy of the story, I’ll always remember hearing about a Christian leader who, during the last days of his life, prayed over the one taking on his work. With a small group gathered round his hospital bed, he called her near and stretched out his hand to bless her and the mission. “Shades of Moses and Joshua,” my friend commented afterwards.
Moses must have discerned from God that he would soon die, and so prayed a blessing over Joshua as he took on the leadership of God’s people. Perhaps through this laying on of hands, Moses invited God’s Spirit to rest on Joshua, even as his Spirit had empowered Moses in his own work. This fits what the narrator of Deuteronomy shares, that Joshua was then ‘filled with the spirit of wisdom’ (v 9).
Living after Pentecost as we do, we have the gift and privilege of being filled with the Holy Spirit when we believe in Jesus. We may receive the Spirit through someone laying hands on us and praying, or indeed we can be filled with his empowering, indwelling presence when we pray on our own. Whatever way we experience this blessing from God, we know that he can use us for his glory and honour as we seek to share his good news.
Loving God, please refresh me with your love and presence, and equip me to carry out the calling you’ve set aside for me. Amen.
Friday November 24 - Face to face
Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, who did all those signs and wonders... Deuteronomy 34:10-11
After he died, the accolades about Moses flowed – he was unlike any other prophet before him, and he spoke to the Lord ‘face to face’ (v 10). The book of Exodus also mentions their face-to-face relationship, describing how Moses would speak to God as one would a friend (Exodus 33:11).
In the ancient near East, this was a radical view of a relationship between created and Creator, man and God. Although today we may enjoy singing the old familiar hymn, ‘What a friend we have in Jesus’, the intimate nature of this interaction was not common in Moses’ day. But God broke through the conventions of the time. He welcomed Moses up the mountain where God met with him in person – and Moses lived, surviving the glory of God’s presence. There God empowered him to do the work he was calling him to do. And there they, amazingly, enjoyed a relationship as friends.
For us, Jesus has broken down the barriers that kept us from God. Now, through the work of the Holy Spirit, we have unfettered access to God, and, like Moses, can relate to him face to face.
We can join in with the hymn in singing, ‘Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.’
Brother Jesus, thank you for coming to live as a man and dying to set me free from my sins. I welcome your friendship in my life. Amen.
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PRAYER FOR TODAY
PRAYER FOR TODAY