What Is That In Your Hand?

June 19 2020

By Rosella Shishido, Director of Communications

It hadn’t been a good week. I was feeling blah. Sometimes I would describe it as being in a funk–––lethargic, discouraged, disconnected, unqualified. It felt like nothing I did mattered. All I wanted to do was stay in bed, not do anything, and not take care of anybody. I felt useless.

But thankfully Jesus doesn’t give up on us easily. Every day I would feel His nudge to spend quiet time with Him, even just to read the Bible. And so I did that, even if it felt like I was just going through the motions. I trusted that Jesus would somehow get me off this funk by speaking to me through His Word. 

And remarkably He did!

The readings for that day in the Bible plan I’m on were chapters 3 and 4 of the book of Exodus in the Old Testament. God told Moses that He had chosen him to lead the Israelites out of slavery from Egypt and into the Promised Land, but Moses doubted that he was the right guy for the job.

Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’

Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”

“A staff,” Moses replied. The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.”

Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake, and it turned back into a staff in his hand.

“This,” said the Lord, “is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers––the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob––has appeared to you.” (Exodus 4:1-5)

“What is that in your hand?” I’ve read that verse many, many times before, but that morning––boom! I felt a quickening in my spirit. It was like the question was meant for me.

“What is that in your hand?” God asked me.

And what came to mind right away were the God-sent blessings I had at that moment and continue to have today: a loving family (two Black Labs included), friends, a job, a house, talents, skills, spiritual gifts, money, health, freedom to pray and read the Bible, access to technology, clean water, electricity ...... 

My mental list went on and on and on.

God’s message for me through that verse was this: God has blessed me, and I am to use what I already have to accomplish what He has called me to do. He has already given me the resources I need. He has also given me family and friends who can cheer me on when the hard times roll in. I am not invisible to Him or to others. 

I also realized that I had other things in my hand. Sadly I was holding on to past hurts, regrets, the what-could’ve-been’s, and the what-I-wish-I-had’s. Time to let go, God said. Time to let go.

What about you? What’s in your hand? 

Start a list. And remember to include your God-given talents, skills, and spiritual gifts that make you unique. 

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the countless blessings You’ve given me! Please help me to steward them well in ways that will point people to You, and promote wellness, compassion, justice, kindness, and peace. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

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