Leadership Lessons from Moses

Death of a Dream.

Moses took the staff from the place where it was kept before the Lord. Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. "Listen, you rebels!" he shouted. "Must we bring you water from this rock?" Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill. But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!"

Moses could still hear those words ringing in his ears. Did God really mean he couldn’t go to the Promised Land? He had been dreaming about this for nearly 80 years. He’d spent most of his life picturing that day. He could see himself crossing the river. He knew what music he would have the trumpeters play. He knew what prayers Aaron would say. He had heard stories of a mountain just across the river. He would stand there on the mountain as the nation passed through the river and into the Promised Land. He already knew that Joshua would be leading the people through the conquests. But it was his mission, his life’s calling, to lead the people into the Promised Land.

His very soul pumped with a flood of emotions. He was angry. How could God take this way from him? He had worked so hard. Had he not listened to these people gripe and complain all of his life? He had earned this victory. Tears began well up in his eyes. He also knew he had brought this on himself. Just as the anger had overwhelmed him, he now succumbed to the grief. He began to weep uncontrollably. How could he have done this to himself? Hadn’t he earned the right to a mistake every now and then? After all, when it was in God’s timing to go into the Promised Land he was the only one of the ruling council who wanted to go. It was true Joshua and Caleb also wanted to go but they weren’t part of the 70-member ruling council. He alone had wanted to march across the river Jordan. Surely that should count for something? The punishment was too severe.