“I pray thee, let me go over,”

Deuteronomy 3:25

Success, achievement and reaching our full potential…  none of these things are new.  They can create a powerful drive in us to accomplish great things!  And when they are put with prayer… like in the verse above, what can keep us from reaching our goals?

God.

God can.  God can keep us from “reaching our full potential”.

Why?

We don’t always need to know the reason, but here God did give a reason to Moses for why he wouldn’t be allowed to be “successful”.

“I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon. But the LORD was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the LORD said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter.” Deuteronomy 3:25-26

“for your sakes…”  Moses had disobeyed God and struck the rock again, rather than speaking to the rock this time. (Exodus 17.6 cf. Numbers 20.7-12)  Moses had messed with God’s picture of Salvation.  Christ was struck once, He died once for all…  Salvation is complete in Christ.  We cannot lose our salvation.  The Lord Jesus Christ, our Rock, does not need to be crucified over and over…

So, what does God say to Moses, arguably the greatest prophet of all time...?  God said, “speak no more unto me of this matter.”  Moses, you will not be successful in this thing, and you will be okay with that.  And he was.  Thank God for such clarity when we need it!  Seriously… thank God for such clarity when we need it.