What's In Your Hand?

On a recent video call with some awesome women during a bible study lesson on Moses, I encouraged them with a simple question… “What’s in your hand?”

We can read about it in the call of Moses by God.
The assignment was clear.
Not simple… but precise, “You must lead My people Israel out of Egypt.”  (Ex 3:10)

But in his own feelings of insecurity and inadequacy, Moses gives not one, not two, but FIVE subsequent reasons why God might have chosen the wrong guy.

We see it in chapters 3 and 4 and they include:
1.) feelings of unworthiness (3:11)
2.) fear of what others would think (3:13)
3.) fear of the doubt in others (4:1)
4.) fear of all that he perceived that he lacked (4:10)
5.) belief that God should use someone else (4:13)

During one of the cries to the Lord, Moses says, “What if they (the Israelites trapped in Egypt) won’t believe me or listen to me?  What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you!?”  (4:1)

And I love the Lord’s response. 
Because He never sees deficiency, only divine ability.
And He is persistent in making His will known and making it clearly understood that He wouldn’t release Moses from the full obligation and duty he was being summoned into, despite any amount of unworthiness he felt.

God asks Moses the question in verse 2, “What is that in your hand?”
Moses goes on to answer that it was a staff and then was ordered by God to, “Throw it to the ground” (verse 3) and then, when God transformed it into a snake, Moses was asked to, “Reach out and grab it’s tail” (verse 4).  We see it turning back to a staff in an instant.

I get asked a LOT, “How do I know what God’s will is for my life?” 
I think it’s a common question with sincere motives in most people who are asking.
And I always think about this verse and ask what God is still asking us today, “What’s in your hand?”

What is it that God has asked you to do for Him?
Who are the people right in front of your view that He is asking you to serve?
What abilities and gifts has He given specifically to you that He’s asking you to use for His service?
What resources has He supernaturally supplied you with?
What hopes and dreams has He laid upon your heart?

What’s in your hands?

It may not be easy to do - that which He is requiring of you - but it is your call nonetheless, and what God has assigned TO you, He has EQUIPPED you for! 
Be encouraged in that!

The task may not be easy.  You may observe many obstacles in your way.  The order may be challenging at best.  But look at the promise found in Psalm 126:6, “They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as the return with the harvest.”

There are some things He is calling you to that ONLY you can do.
And if you refuse the assignment, you could miss the blessing altogether.
What’s more, if you deny the duty, you could deprive others the benefit of your faithfulness.

The right question to ask in discerning His will might just be, “If I were to say no to what He’s asking me to do, if I refuse to take a risk for Him, who might be adversely affected and miss Jesus by my neglect?”

It’s on my board in my office to remind me - so I won’t forget: “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up”.  Gal 6:9