We have just had a fortnight's holiday - a week at the beach and a week in the mountains. It was a rather physical holiday with some long walks at both locations.
We walked in the Yuraygir National Park, south of Yamba - on a boardwalk across an open area full of wild flowers, then on, on, on to Dirringan lookout. High up on a cliff we could see as far as Broom's Head to the south. The sweep of sandy beaches, the rocky headlands, the distant lake - all were clearly visible to us. Yet time and distance were against us. We could look and see, but knew we couldn't make it - at least, not this time.
One of the personal aims that Naomi and I had in Girraween National Park this year was to find the Match Sticks. Two years ago we had seen them from Castle Rock but we couldn't track them down and, in heading towards Turtle Rock instead, had to pass through undergrowth almost up to my shoulders. So this year we set off with determination - and we certainly wouldn't plan a route across that gully again! From Castle Rock we could see them again - a small number of rock columns visible against the trees. Not a large and spectacular feature in the park, you could almost miss them against the trees. It was certainly the view from Castle Rock that had given them the name. Now let's see. They are south-east from here and off the end of the ridge to the west of Mount Norman. Not an absolute fix on the map, but fairly close. See those two large patches of flat bare rock. It looks to be not too far from one of them through open scrub. So far as we know they aren't visible from the track, but we know that the Mount Norman track crosses a bare patch and that another comes right down to the path. Hopefully, from down there we might get a glimpse through the trees and a more accurate compass bearing. Then we should be right.
Having laid our plans, we had some morning tea and set off on our adventure. Once down on the track among the trees, we can't see our destination, but we are looking for the bare rock. We go south to the far edge of the second bare area and - yes, we can see them through the trees, due south from here (due north will get us back to the track). But we can't go straight ahead. We'll have to work our way a little to the east through some low bushes and over some rocks… Now look at this. It must be our "second large bare area". It doesn't come right out to the track and the first bare rock we were counting mustn't be very obvious from Castle Rock!
In a very short time we are at our destination and eat our lunch. Massive columns of granite - not quite match-stick-like when you are near them, but flat with some broken pieces perched on top of one another, the narrow side facing Castle Rock. Wow! And some much larger rock formations in the ridge behind. We can't go any further today. We would need an earlier start to investigate them and we have given Mum a time for our expected return to camp.
Two high vantage-points and two visions - one unattainable in our available time, the other a guide to where we needed to go.
Moses was looking at the land that the Lord was giving to the people of Israel, but he would not enter it himself. Too old, we would say - but the Lord says "You will die on that mountain as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor, because both of you were unfaithful to me in the presence of the people of Israel. When you were at the waters of Meribah, near the town of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin, you dishonoured me in the presence of the people. You will look at the land from a distance, but you will not enter the land that I am giving the people of Israel" (Dt.32.50-52). Moses had become angry and impatient with the people - and hadn't they given him good reason! Moses was honoured as a great leader - but his outburst was remembered.
So this is the land of promise. This is the goal of all those desert wanderings. This is the place where all those rules and laws will have to be obeyed.
In the next chapter we hear the Lord's last instructions to Moses, "You will soon die, and after your death the people will become unfaithful to me and break the covenant that I made with them. They will abandon me and worship the pagan gods of the land they are about to enter…" (Dt.31.16).
I wonder what Moses was thinking about on top of Mount Pisgah looking out over the land of promise. Even on Nebo and Pisgah the archaeologists have found evidence of pagan worship. What was his hope - and his prayer - for the people?
Our problem today is that we want the promised land without the hard work and careful discipline. We want the blessing of God without having to love him, obey him and be faithful to him.
God puts before us also a choice between life and death, blessing and a curse. And he calls on us to choose life.
Life begins by choosing to receive Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord, by accepting what he has done for us to deal with the fall-out from our rebelliousness and sin. Life is a relationship in which we can know and love him. Jesus said, "Eternal life means knowing you, the only true God, and knowing Jesus Christ, whom you sent" (Jn.17.3). So it's not a matter of being forgiven, but then ignoring God. Life is knowing God - and loving him. And life is fulfilling the purpose for which we were created in the first place - obeying him and being faithful to him. A lot is said these days about fulfilment and "doing our own thing". But true fulfilment is learning to do God's thing - in the general principles that apply to everybody and in the beautiful individuality of the gifts that God has placed within you.
Moses had his vision, but what will the people choose? And what will you choose? Choose life!
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