Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”
“A staff,” he [Moses] replied.
The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.”
God gave Moses a small tool to perform a big job. His shepherd’s staff, formerly used to guide sheep, would now move a mountain of people. Moses would shepherd a nation, millions of people, two entire generations of Jewish sons and daughters for forty years in the wilderness of Sinai. He would deliver them from the tyranny of Pharaoh’s bondage, through the Red Sea, and to the brink of the promised land “flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3.17).
How would he do it? With a shepherd’s staff. But not just any staff. A staff empowered by the Spirit of God. When Moses threw it down at the command of God, it was transformed into a living creature…
“Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it.”
Exodus 4.3
The Lord made Moses pick it up again…
“Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.”
Exodus 4.4
When he did, “it turned back into a staff in his hand.” God’s reason for the sign of the staff?…
“This… is so that they may believe.”
Exodus 4.5
Moses learned to handle the staff of God. He picked it up and threw it down. Picked it up. Threw it down. We, too, must pick it up and throw it down. Pick it up. Throw it down.
Every man and woman of God must learn to handle the message contained in the Bible. In the hand of a capable leader, the Bible is empowered by God to perform miraculous deeds and shepherd His people. Every believer is called to present himself “approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth” (2nd Timothy 2.15 NAS). The Bible becomes a living thing in the hand of the Lord’s servant.
“The word of God is living and active”
Hebrews 4.12 NIV
- Pick it up... Read your Bible.
- Throw it down... Share your Bible inspired convictions with everyone you know and meet.
Like the staff of Moses, the word of God imparts living insights when you share with others. God’s truth in you will take on a life of its own with the potential to transform all who hear its life-giving message. You will be surprised, perhaps even a little frightened by the intensity and rawness of its power.
Pick it up daily. Throw it down often. Pick it up and throw it down.
Pick it up daily. Throw it down often. Pick it up and throw it down.
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2 comments:
Dave, several weeks ago on a Friday morning, you challenged all of us to read the bible in it's entirety and to remember that the entire bible is the word of God, not just the New Testament. I remember countering that if I was in prison and I only had access to a page or two, I would take Matthew, chapters 5-7. In return, you countered with the simple statement that neither one of us is in jail and we do have the whole bible. I have tried to remember that in this first few weeks of the calendar year. And as I read through the first two books of the word, I realize that you were and are right. God is revealing much to me that I was not aware of, or did not pick up on before. Thanks.
My journal entry for Tuesday:
(keep in mind my prior comments that I do view Moses as a great leader. However, before I read your post, the following thoughts came to me)
"Who am I that I should go to Pharoah and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"
-------Exodus, ch 3, vs 11.
"What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, the Lord did not appear to you?"
------Exodus, ch 4, vs 1.
"Oh, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue."
------Exodus, ch 4, vs 10.
"Oh Lord, please send someone else to do it."
Exodus, ch 4, vs 10.
Not exactly the kind of faith that moves mountains. One thing's for sure, the bible was not written by people who cared first and foremost about making themselves look good.
The funny thing is, it was Moses who saw the burning bush which was not being consumed. He saw the miracle and heard the very voice of God, and yet his first instinct was to doubt that God knew exactly what he was doing. (under the circumstances, I assume I would have done no better)
Jesus said, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
-------John ch 20, vs 29.
This is the type of faith that I truly wish to possess.
-------CMM
Good stuff, bro.
Dave
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