An Example of Leadership
by Rev. Erin Noh
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“The Lord said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants’; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.”
Then Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, at the Lord’s command. Deuteronomy 34: 4-5
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In the last chapter of Deuteronomy, God calls Moses and commands him to go to Mount Nebo,
“to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the Lord showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the Negeb, and the Plain—that is, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees—as far as Zoar.”
(vv. 1-4) I can see this event playing out like a scene in a movie: the panoramic view of Israel, and Canaan, the land promised by God. Moses, who has spent his entire life leading the Israelites toward this land, would have wanted nothing more than to set foot inside Canaan. Moses leads the Israelites to the Promised Land, but he does not enter. At the age 120, Moses dies; yet, “his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone.”
God calls imperfect people to do His perfect will. Despite Moses’s imperfection, he was a good leader in the eyes of the Lord because:
- Moses was a humble man. One characteristic that made him stand out from other leaders in the Bible was his humility. “… Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth” (Num. 12:3). God chose to have an intimate relationship with Moses, he was the only one whom the Lord knew face-to-face.
- Moses interceded in prayer for his people. Even when the Israelites grumbled and disobeyed his leadership, Moses would pray on their behalf. For 40 years, Moses faithfully walked alongside the people of Israel and interceded for them.
- Moses knew the power of teamwork. The advice from Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, taught him how tasks can be delegated. Moses worked as a team with Aaron, Miriam, and other Israel leaders.
- Moses was a leader who mentored the next leader. He knew it was time to step down; therefore, Moses charged Joshua to be strong in God and presented him to the people as a leader.
Moses was a faithful prophet and a leader to the people of Israel. In fact, God acknowledged there was no other prophet in Israel like Moses.
Like Moses, we are called for God’s perfect plan; yet, like Moses, our lives will come to an end. Each of us has assignments to complete and a calling to fulfill. What is your calling in God and your assignment at this moment in life? You may not be called to be a leader, but you can faithfully serve in your home, community, and the world. Each of us has a divine purpose, and when we live purpose-filled lives, there will be no regrets when life on earth ends.
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Lord, help me to obey You so that I can dwell in the confidence and peace of knowing I am living Your way. Make me to be one of Your faithful intercessors and teach me how to pray in power. Help me to make a big difference in the world because You are working through me to touch lives for Your Glory. Amen.
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Alpharetta Presbyterian Church
180 Academy Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009
770-751-0033 www.alpharettapres.com
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