HomeWord - Oct. 11, 2006

Just What You Have 
This devotional was written by Kelly McFadden

“But Moses protested again, ‘What if they don’t believe me or listen to me?  What if they say the Lord never appeared to you?’ Then the Lord asked him, “What is in your hand?’  ‘A shepherd’s staff,’ Moses replied.” Exodus 4:1-2    

Many of us have heard the story of Moses before.  Born as an Israelite in Egypt and sentenced to die because he was a baby boy, he was placed in a basket and sent down the river by his mother.  From there, he was raised as a son of  Pharaoh’s daughter and lived in privilege until he ran away after killing an Egyptian guard.  He married and became a shepherd until one day when he was out guarding sheep, God spoke to him through a burning bush.  He called Moses to return to Egypt and lead the effort to free God’s people from captivity. 

Moses didn’t want to go.

He offers God excuses of why he shouldn’t be the one to go.  “I can’t speak,” he says.  “They won’t believe me,” he explains.  “Please send someone else,” he pleads.  And God tells him, “Hold out your staff and drop it.”  The staff turns into a snake.  God didn’t tell Moses to run over and tear a branch off of a tree.  He didn’t send him home to pick up a weapon or to a marketplace to buy a new outfit.  He used what Moses already had:  He used his staff, the staff of a shepherd. 

Moses is like many of us.  God calls and we feel inadequate or ill-prepared for what He has for us.  We come up with excuses (even some good ones!) and ask God if He couldn’t please send someone else, anyone else.  But I can picture God shaking His head and sighing, saying, “I want you to go.  Can’t you see that I have given you everything you need?  Don’t you know by now that in those areas of your life where you feel weak, I am strong?  Don’t be afraid.  I am with you.”

It can be scary to answer God’s call.  But when you feel Him tugging and leading you, have faith.  You can trust that He isn’t going to give you anything you can’t handle.  And with God’s strength you can do anything.      

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GOING DEEPER:

1. What are ways that the Lord has gifted you?  What staff do you hold in your hand?   

2. The Bible says that “when we are weak, He is strong.”  How have you seen that in your life?

FURTHER READING:

Exodus 3:7-17; 1 Corinthians 12:5-10; Philippians 4:13

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