Military Devotion – Relieved of Duty, Not Relieved of Grace – June 12, 2026

“Because of your insubordination I am relieving you of command.”  

Those are words that no one wants to hear, and yet these are the very words the Lord spoke to his servant leader Moses. Moses had led the nation of Israel out of Egypt, through the wilderness for 40 years and was about to lead the people into the Promised Land. But God stopped him short. The reason? “You disobeyed my command to honor me as holy before their eyes” (Numbers 27:14).  

God led Moses to the top of a mountain so he could see the Promised Land and then he died and God buried him.   

I’m certain you know someone who has been relieved of duty, lost command, demoted, received a reduction in rank because of a violation of policy, poor performance, or loss of confidence in their ability to lead. Maybe that’s you. And like Moses, there are reminders of that failure always before you. How does that make you feel? Worthless? Full of regret? Full of guilt? You are not alone.      

Before Moses died, the LORD commanded him to lay his hands on his successor and commission him to lead. And he led well. His name? Joshua. In the Hebrew Yeshua. In the Greek language Jesus: a name that means – the one who saves. Yes, God provided another leader to shepherd his people – a picture of what the perfect Good Shepherd would one day do for Moses. God’s imperfect servant leader could cling to the promise of the perfect servant leader and know his sins were forgiven. Moses could die in peace knowing his God had made all things right.      

Whatever it is you failed to do in your job, whatever consequences you suffered for it, believe this: Jesus was and is the perfect leader, and the perfect subordinate, the perfect servant of all, the perfect shepherd for all, and that includes you and me.  

As shepherd he looks at people like you and me, and doesn’t shake his head, groan and say, “Not again!” Instead, he looks on you and me with compassion. His heart goes out to us, because he sees people, sinners, sheep who need a shepherd, and he comes to you and to me and offers his holy, perfect, selfless, sacrificial life and says, “Here, this is yours. You are righteous in my sight.”  

Whatever God has called you to do right now, go and do it. Go with confidence. Believe that your sin is covered by Jesus. Go with confidence knowing that Jesus goes before you as a shepherd leads his sheep.