Using What God Provides

Then the Lord said to [Moses], “What is that in your hand?” Exodus 4:2

We can join God’s work with whatever we have—large or small. When He asked Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt, Moses balked: “What if they do not . . . listen to me?” (Exodus 4:1) God answered with a simple question: “What is that in your hand?” (v. 2). Moses held a staff, a simple stick. God told him to throw the staff on the ground, “and it became a snake” (v. 3). Then He instructed Moses to pick up the snake, and it turned back into a staff. All Moses needed to do, God explained, was carry the staff and trust Him to do the rest. Remarkably, He would use that stick in Moses’ hand to rescue Israel from the Egyptians (7:10–12; 17:5–7). What we have might not seem like much to us, but with God, whatever we have will be enough. He takes our ordinary resources and uses them for His work. By Winn Collier REFLECT & PRAY

What small thing can you use for God? Why is it vital that you trust Him with it? Dear God, I surrender what I have to You.

Scripture Insight 

In Exodus 3–4, Moses’ humanity is on full display. This great prophet of God is also a human being we can relate to. In fear, he refuses to accept God’s commission to lead His people out of slavery. This occurs even as God performs miracles in Moses’ presence—the bush unconsumed by fire (3:1-3) and his staff turning into a snake (4:3). When Moses’ staff becomes a serpent, he reacts as most of us would: “he ran from it” (v. 3). He did, however, show courage and faith when he grabbed the snake by the tail (v. 4). The safest way to hold a venomous snake (don’t do it!) is behind the head, preventing it from striking. The power wasn’t in Moses’ staff, nor was it in himself. The power was in the God of Israel, who was infinitely greater than the gods of Egypt, including the snake.

Tim Gustafson