You remember that Moses has been arguing with God as to whether he is qualified for the assignment that God is giving him. As is often the case, Moses did not believe he was qualified but God did. Not because Moses had all the abilities to take on this momentous task but because God had the power to ensure that Moses would be successful. In the end, apart from his obedience to follow God, the outcome didn’t depend on Moses but on God. The same is always true with us. If God asks us to do something, if He lays something on our heart, He will empower us to get the job done. We are weak but He is strong.

Which leads me to one of the most intriguing questions that God asks of someone in Scripture. Moses has just given God one more reason that God should choose someone else. Certainly not him. He says to God, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you?’” We are in Exodus chapter 4 here.

And here is God’s answer. “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he 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.”

Now it is no surprise that Moses had a staff in his hand. He was, after all, a shepherd and every shepherd carried a staff. There was nothing extraordinary about a staff. It was a simple object with no great significance except to a shepherd. But what God did with that ordinary object was to empower it to become a snake and then back to a staff again. In other words, God took something ordinary and used it in extraordinary ways. And this had nothing to do with Moses abilities or his staff. It had everything to do with God’s power and His willingness and ability to take ordinary people, ordinary circumstances, or something that we think has no great significance, and use it for His purposes. 

Here is the lesson. God takes ordinary people with ordinary gifts and ordinary abilities and possessions and He uses them in extraordinary ways when we choose to say yes to him and live obediently to His call. Our success doesn't depend on us but on God. It does not depend on our power but His. If you doubt that, take a look at the rag tag team Jesus chose as his disciples. Ordinary people and He used them in extraordinary ways. That is what He did with Moses and that is what He wants to do with you. All you need to do is to say yes and trust him.

Father. Thank you that you choose ordinary people to do your extraordinary work because I count myself among the ordinary. Help me see what is in my hand and use me and my gifts and whatever I have for your Kingdom purposes. Amen. 

If you are reading along through the book of Exodus we have currently read chapters 1-6 and I would encourage you to read chapters 7 - 9. Join us in these Scriptures as we study lessons from the Exodus.