The Staff of God

in Exodus 4, God commissions Moses to return to Egypt and insist that Pharaoh let the Israelites go.  Mose, however, was not feeling it. He had faith in his ability to confront the king of Egypt. He did not believe himself to be equipped for such a task. Why should Pharaoh listen to a nobody like Moses the shepherd?

God asked him, "What is that in your hand?" (v. 2a).  Moses replied, "A staff" (v. 2b). Then God had him throw it to the ground and it became a snake from which Moses ran. God had him grab it by the tail and it became a staff again. He gave him other signs to show that he was sent by the Lord as well. After this Moses "took the staff of God in his hand" (v. 20) and left for Egypt.

Did you notice that "a staff" became "the staff of God?"  What was common was now divine. What was something Moses fashioned was now recreated by the hand of God. What was just a  piece of wood was now the power of God.

Moses' life had been a training ground to be both a leader and a shepherd of God's people. But nothing in his training or experience equipped him to have a face-off with Pharaoh. God did not call Moses because he was equipped for the task, God equipped him so he could carry out the task. Moses was able because he was chosen not chosen because he was able.

If you are feeling the tug of God on your heart but worry you are not adequate, if you feel a call to ministry but don't see how you could pull it off, if you know you should be involved in something for the kingdom but don't believe you are equipped for anything; take your ordinary self and let God divinely equip you. Take the common staff in your hand and let the Lord transform it into the staff of God.

Show up, volunteer, assist someone else in ministry, commit yourself to a mission trip, agree to co-teach a class, ask your preacher to put you to work (be sure he's sitting down fist in case he faints).  Don't wait for a bolt of lightning or a still quiet voice, ask God to send you and then open your eyes to the work all around you. God can take what you have and make it a divine instrument. Jus' Say'n.