What Is in Your Hand
“Then the Lord said to him, 'What is that in your hand?' 'A staff,' he replied.”
— Exodus 4:2 (NIV)
Moses had spent forty years as a desert shepherd after failing spectacularly in Egypt. He told God he was nobody, could not speak well, and would not be believed. God asked one question about what he already held. It was an ordinary stick, worn smooth over four decades he considered wasted. That stick went on to split a sea.
Maybe it is a skill you undervalue because it came easily. Maybe two free hours on a Thursday, a room, a car, a person who takes your call. God started with what Moses was already holding. Start today with one thing you already have.
Name the Stick
- 1Write down one ordinary thing you already have: a skill, a slot in your week, a room, a contact.
- 2Use it once today for someone other than yourself.
God, show me what is already in my hand and let me use it today.
I will start with what I already have.
Why does the staff matter so much?
It represented forty years Moses considered wasted. God took the symbol of his failure and made it the instrument of rescue.
What was Moses objecting to?
He listed a lack of authority, credibility, and speaking ability. God answered by pointing at his hand rather than debating the list.
How do I know what my staff is?
It is usually something so ordinary you stopped noticing it: a skill, an hour, a relationship, a room you have access to.