Deuteronomy 31:14-18: a reflection

14The LORD said to Moses, “Behold, your days approach that you must die. Call Joshua, and present yourselves in the Tent of Meeting, that I may commission him.” Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the Tent of Meeting. 15The LORD appeared in the Tent in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood over the Tent’s door. 16The LORD said to Moses, “Behold, you shall sleep with your fathers. This people will rise up and play the prostitute after the strange gods of the land where they go to be among them, and will forsake me and break my covenant which I have made with them. 17Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall come on them; so that they will say in that day, ‘Haven’t these evils come on us because our God is not among us?’ 18I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evil which they have done, in that they have turned to other gods.

Moses's death is near, and God calls him to commission Joshua as his successor. And God himself appears at the Tent of Meeting to commission the new leader; the transition is not left to Moses alone, but overseen by God. The great leader Moses would die; but God's work would not die with him. God himself would raise up and commission the next leader, Joshua, to carry the people forward into the land. God's purpose was not tied to one man's life.

Notice that God's work continued beyond Moses, and that God himself commissioned the successor. Moses had led the people for forty years; his death might have seemed the end of everything. But God's purpose did not depend on Moses; God himself appeared to commission Joshua, ensuring the work would go on. God's purposes are not tied to the life of any one leader, however great; he raises up successors, and his work continues beyond the servants he uses for a time.

That is a steadying truth, for we can grow overly attached to particular leaders, as though God's work depended on them. When a leader we have relied on dies or departs, it can seem that everything is at an end. But God's purpose is not tied to any one person; he raised up Joshua to continue the work after Moses, and he raises up successors still. Do not let your confidence rest so heavily on any human leader that their departure seems the end of God's work. God's purposes outlast the servants he uses; he himself commissions those who come after, as he commissioned Joshua. When a leader you have relied on is taken, trust that God's work does not die with them; the God who raised up Joshua after Moses is able to raise up those who will carry his work forward, for his purpose is not tied to any one life.

Lord, as Moses's death neared, you called him to commission Joshua, and you yourself appeared to commission the successor; the great leader would die, but your work would not die with him, for your purpose was not tied to one man's life. Steady me with that truth, for I can grow overly attached to particular leaders, as though your work depended on them. When a leader I have relied on dies or departs, it can seem that everything is at an end. But your purpose is not tied to any one person; you raised up Joshua to continue the work after Moses, and you raise up successors still. Keep me from letting my confidence rest so heavily on any human leader that their departure seems the end of your work. Your purposes outlast the servants you use; you yourself commission those who come after, as you commissioned Joshua. When a leader I have relied on is taken, help me trust that your work does not die with them; you, who raised up Joshua after Moses, are able to raise up those who will carry your work forward, for your purpose is not tied to any one life. Help me rest my confidence in you, Lord, not in any one leader.