God’s plan was to use Moses for the release of the Israelites from 400 years of slavery. He was 80 years old when God called him to the task. This was the farthest thing in the mind of Moses for what he should do the rest of his life. In defense of an Israelite who was being beaten by an Egyptian, Moses assumed he was just in the offender’s murder. Instead, the next day an Israelite made accusations against him. As a result, he fled away and became a shepherd. By resolving the problem in this manner, he assumed he was safe. Later, God put him and what he probably thought was in harm’s way. At the burning bush God issued his directive, but Moses made excuses that he was unworthy and unable to perform the task.
As life turns a corner, it may seem that we are not able to cope with or solve our problems. We may find ourselves in the presence of the Almighty, yet we lack confidence in ourselves and even God. We may pray for solutions to our problem. In doing so, we could expect God to work a miracle for some satisfaction. It is right for us to think of ourselves differently than what an unbeliever would. To that assumption, we need to often remind ourselves of what it says in 1 Peter 2: 9, “but you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
God will not always rescue us just because he should or we deserve it. His intentions are out of the realm of how we think. Our text demonstrates what should be obvious but is not. God asked Moses, “What is in your hand?” Moses was very familiar with his rod that he carried. It was a useful tool to him as a shepherd so that he might guide the sheep or reach down into a crevice and rescue one. The question that God asked Moses is one that you should ask yourselves. It is good that we ask for God’s blessing and guide. On some occasions, it might be better to ask ourselves what solutions already there in our lives. We may feel like we’ve tried everything with nothing that worked. Perhaps you have forgotten the most obvious and the one that you have ignored.
That rod of Moses became a mighty tool and standing before Pharaoh so that he would let the Israelites go. When the people thought they were trapped at the Red Sea, he answered their complaints by saying, “fear you not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.” (Exodus 14:13) Apparently, not even Moses knew at the moment what God intended to do. God asked Moses why he cried to him. He said, “go forward.” To that, God told him to lift up his rod and stretch it over the sea and it was divided. It also is what God directed him to use in providing water for the people in the wilderness as a traveled.
The moral of the story in the Scriptures is to ask yourself what you have overlooked that could have God’s blessing to free you from your own personal slavery and divide your own waters ahead? You thought you tried everything. But what is it that’s right there in your hand? What is it that when you give it to God will be the mighty solution you seek? That which you give to God for his use in your life will generate the call to you that you should go forward. You already have it. God already told you about it. God anointed it after you recognized it. Now take that step of faith and go forward in your life!
Christian Writer 