Did Moses get the Shaft????

I was at a retreat yesterday, and the retreat director said a lot of wonderful things that struck me.  But one thing that really stuck with me was about Moses.

Moses; gotta love that guy.  He went from riches to rags, and then back to a whole different kind of riches.  He was the instrument God used to save HIS people, and change the course of Human History.  He was the Jesus before Jesus, and the one guy given the task of getting the Israelite people to the promised land.

And yet, he never got to go himself.

Poor Moses.  Poor Poor Moses.  I always felt a little bad for him for that reason.

Until Yesterday.

You see, it was pointed out to me that Moses was totally cool with the whole deal.  That he stood on Mount Nebo in the presence of God.  He watched the Israelites stand before the promise land, and completely didn't mind that he didn't get to go.    Why?  Or should I ask, How was he okay with that?

Because... he was STANDING IN THE PRECENCE OF GOD!!!!

I mean who the heck cares about Milk and Honey, when you have the PRESENCE OF GOD!?!??!   Deep, Personal, relationship with GOD, the CREATOR of the UNIVERSE, the Dude who knit us together, and knows how many hairs we have.  SINCERE, REAL, RELATIONSHIP.

Poof.  Mind Blowing.  Right?!?!

I can have that sort of relationship too.  SO can you.

SO when I am whining that I don't get to go to the Promised Land, which for me, can be all sorts of things; a bigger house, a perfect marriage, a ski vacation, a cruise around the world, a new louis viutton bag, whatever.   I need to remind myself, that God is allowing me something WAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY BETTER.  HIM. 

If I really invested myself in relationship with him. Then I would probably stop asking for the other less amazing things. 

And while we are talking about Relationship, I had a somewhat sad conversation with a friend yesterday.  She left the Catholic Church and is now going to my Husbands Baptist church.  Growing up one of her parents was a Director of Religious Education at our Church, and I was surprised that somehow this individual did not understand the truths or recognize the gifts the Church offers it people.  (That is my assumption based on the fact that she couldn't possibly have chosen to leave if she did understand.  Big assumption, I know.)

I asked her why?  (Probably a little gutsy of me, but I really didn't understand, and it just sort of came out.)  She said she was NEVER taught the idea of a personal relationship with God.  In all her days of attending a SALESIAN Catholic School and being the daughter of the religious education director of a Catholic church, she was NEVER reminded that GOD wants a RELATIONSHIP with her.

Come On?   Really?????   Maybe, she just wasn't listening.

Anyway, I just want to remind us all to encourage one another to grow in relationship.  And to understand that ALL the sacraments, and the Mass, specifically the Eucharist, are tools/gifts to help foster that relationship.  THE whole point is RELATIONSHIP.   And how can you get more personal than TOUCHING, SEEING, EATING Jesus himself??!?!?!?

So today, I am going to AIM for NEBO.  I am hoping to be like a MOSES, where I don't care about my promised land, I only care about HIS Promised land.