Then Moses said, “What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say? For they may say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’” The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” And he said, “A staff.” Then He said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. But the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand and grasp it by its tail”—so he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— “that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” Exodus 4:1-5
God’s way of dealing with Moses reluctance to accept his mission was to have Moses see what he had, not what he didn’t have. God said “see, what’s in your hand”. Of course it was an ordinary staff or walking stick in Moses’ hand, but in the ‘hand of God’- used for the purpose of achieving the mission of God, it became powerful and miraculous.
I think we spend too much time telling God why something can’t be done, instead of looking at what He has already done. We are master excuse makers and weak faith walkers. The truth is that God has given us everything we need to live this life in a godly way. And, remember, the goal of all this is that “they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob has appeared”!
What is in my hand? What resources has God already entrusted to me? And how are they being used for His mission?
God, as this day begins, I thank you for carrying me along the last week that was filled with much ministry. You placed many beautiful responsibilities before me and I feel like the mission was carried out. Today, there are tasks, communications, encouragements ahead. Would you go before me, prompt throughout the day and help me be faithful in my roles. Bring to my memory anything I would otherwise forget and to clearly see that what You have put in my hand is enough.
