I was recently a little dismayed. I had at fairly short notice arranged to visit relatives. The morning of the visit I realised I hadn't thought ahead to get a little gift to take with me.
In our morning Bible reading of Hebrews 6 I then noticed the 'labour of love' spoken of in regard to the Hebrews and their care and hospitality to other Christians, and then the encouragement to 'be not slothful' in following the example of those who by faith and patience have inherited God's promises to them.
'Be not slothful' went round and round my thoughts - had I been slothful in not being prepared? I was kicking myself, wishing I was more like the Proverbs 31 woman who amongst many other virtues was prepared for the future: 'She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet' (Proverbs 31:21).
I can't quite remember in which order it happened - I was thinking whether there was anything in the home that I could take, and had decided on some freshly made soup and homemade spelt bread rolls - and at some point the words 'taking what was at hand' kept going round my mind.
'Perhaps it was Abigail?' I thought.
When the fugitive David, soon to be King David had determined to kill Abigail's insolent husband and all his household, Abigail speedily gathered together 200 bread loaves, 2 bottles of wine, 5 'measures' of roasted grain, a 100 clusters of raisins and 200 fig cakes. Quickly loading these onto asses, she and her servants were able to meet David and wisely placate him before he had killed anyone (1 Samuel 25:18-35).
Whilst we may not have quite the same abundance of prepared food at hand, Abigail was making use of what she had- her multiple provisions reflected her husband's wealthy status and use of servants - but how prepared she was!
But this account doesn't actually contain the words that were in my thoughts. The closest sense to them are the words God spoke to Moses, 'What is that in thine hand? And he (Moses) said, A rod' (Genesis 4:2).
Moses was feeling his inadequacies. God had just given him a great commission - to go to the Hebrews, captive as slaves in Egypt, and lead them out to the the land of Canaan.
"They (the Hebrews) won't believe me!" Moses was saying, "They won't listen to me!" (Exodus 4:1) A few minutes earlier he had been expressing his inadequacy at being chosen to do this, "Who am I, that I should go....?" God had reassured him that He would be with Moses, and had told Moses who He was and what His name was. But Moses was still hesitant, full of fear and dismay at the enormity of this task.
"What is that in thine hand?" God asks him. "Throw it on the ground". Immediately Moses's rod (or shepherd's stick) miraculously turns into a scary serpent, which Moses runs away from, but God then tells Moses to grasp it's tail, and turns it back into his rod again.
God was using what Moses already had to perform His work. It seems to speak to me of how in our lives we are sometimes required to go forward trusting that the Lord will bless what He has already given to us to carry out His commands.
We may feel so inadequate, so unprepared. But God had been preparing Moses to lead out this great nation of Hebrews to Canaan.
Firstly, he had been brought up as an Egyptian prince with first hand knowledge of how to behave and speak in the royal courts; secondly Moses had had years of being a shepherd, so had learnt many skills in leading/observing/ dealing with sheep, which could be applied to human nature; and thirdly, he had lived in the harsh climate of the wilderness - experience which would stand him in good stead for the 40 years he would lead the Hebrews in desert and wilderness.
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God knew what He had been doing in Moses' life - how he had been preparing him. And now He just used what was in Moses' hand to show his power.
What has God already given us that we are to go forward with, trusting that God will bless and show his power in?
It is a little like some of us who feel that we have to know everything before we can do a particular thing. We feel too inadequate to start something before we know all there is about the matter.
It reminds me of a testimony where the baptism candidate had been encouraged to profess their faith in Jesus by hearing a minister, who had said that you don't need to know everything before you are baptised.
What little thing do you have that professes you are a born again Christian? Are you waiting for more before you come and tell the church of your faith in Jesus Christ as your Saviour?
"What is that in your hand?" What have you already got? What have you been given? Go forward, and watch to see how the Lord will work out his will through it. You may feel inadequate, but God can more than make up for it!
Although a little off topic, it struck me when reading this account in Exodus, how Moses being told to throw his rod on the ground had more significance - it was as if God was also telling him that his time as a shepherd of sheep was finished. "Throw it on the ground!"
He was to pick up his rod again but this time it was as a shepherd - or leader - of people. Sometimes God tells us to give up something, to end a certain path, and to continue following Him in a new venture - still using that 'rod' which He has given us, but in a new path.
Well, may you be encouraged today, as you reflect on what the Lord has already done for you, what He has already given you - promises that you lean on, signs of His love - skills and talents that He has prepared you with. Those things which you have 'in your hand'. And if you feel too inadequate to use them, 'throw' them, reverently at His feet in prayer, and ask Him to transform them into those things which will witness to His glory.
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