Real Life by Peggi Tustan

Welcome to Real Life . A phrase from Moses' eulogy keeps running through my mind. There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face . Deuteronomy 34:10 NLT What did this face-to-face look like? We know that no one, not even Moses, saw God’s actual face. [1] So, how did God appear? In their first encounter, He spoke from a burning bush. [2] What form did He take on Mount Sinai? Aside from questions, the verse stirs a deep longing, almost an ache in my soul. Lord, I want to know you like that—face to face . This much is clear: God values relationship. He desired face time with Moses. He desires face time with me, also. In the old covenant of Moses’ day, few conversed directly with God. He is holy. Though there were hundreds of thousands of Israelites, only Moses (with his assistant Joshua) regularly climbed Mount Sinai to meet with God. The mountain rumbled with trumpet blasts, thunder, smoke, and fire like a volcano ready to b...

Welcome to  Real Life . I don’t like to recognize it. I prefer to ignore the truth: sin damages whatever it touches. Moses spoke with God face to face. He stood up to Pharaoh, called plagues down on Egypt, parted the Red Sea, and led Israel 40 years through a desert wilderness. He penned the first four books of the Bible. Now, Moses stands at the border of the Promised Land, longing to go in. He pleads with God, Let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan—that fine hill country and Lebanon. But, it aint gonna happen.  "That is enough," the Lord said. "Do not speak to me anymore about this matter. Go up to the top of Pisgah and look west and north and south and east. Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan." Deuteronomy 3:25-27 Why is Moses forbidden from entering the Promised Land? It is the consequence of his sin. At Meribah, he dishonored God in word and deed. [1]  This is serious stuff when you represe...