Stay

We live in a world that refuses to accept the answer of "No."    I've already used the word dozens of times this morning with the puppies with moderate success.  They want their way and insist upon having it.  I just have to stay the course and insist more often than they.  Right now, they are sleeping.  So apparently for the moment I have kept the balance of power!

As children, our parents will reason with us and explain the answer.  "The stove is hot and will burn you so no touch!"  "The car might not see you and hit you so no running in the street."

Too many of us, never grow up and continue to demand our way.  Too often when we hear the answer of no, we change, quit or walk away.  We become bitter when we don't receive or understand the explanation for the answer of no.

Sometimes, the answer of no is for our protection or the  greater good. Occasionally we get the explanation of the answer but many times , we are not privy to the reasons for "no."

In Deuteronomy 3:21-29, Moses gives encouragement to Joshua to remember what God had done to the two kings on this side of the Jordan.  God would do the same on the other side.  Then Moses asks God to let him go over and see the Promised Land.  God, emphatically, says "that's enough" and tells Moses to go to the top of Pisgah and look with his own eyes at the land but Moses was not going over to the Promised Land.

In today's world, a drama would have ensued and Moses would storm off into the desert.  He could have quit.  His replacement was trained and ready. In our modern minds, that would even be logical.

Yet these verses conclude with "So we stayed..."  Moses made a very important choice that day.  He choose God.  He chose to remain.   He chose to obey.

Moses had a longstanding relationship with God and trusted His plan.  He asked but accepted God's answer, even when it was not the answer that he hoped.

What will it take in my life to choose God over my selfish demands? It's a matter of trust in the one who issues the answer of no.

Trust in His greatness and sovereignty and obey regardless.

So when the going gets tough, I need to stay with God, without explanation or demand, just stay with God.