What Is That In Your Hand?

Today is a beautiful morning! I just spent six days in the mountains camping with my new family from Cornerstone church and God truly blessed me in ways I had longed for. We hiked to beautiful waterfalls, jumped from boulders, swam in crystal clear water, some even made a herbal essence shampoo video at the water fall *cannot contain the giggles*, we ate so many good things, had great talks, watched colorful sunsets and rises, kayaked on the lake, took silhouette pictures on the sand doing crazy things like human pyramids and acrobats, learned more about each other and ourselves, sang our lungs raw, and just enjoyed the freedom Christ has lavished us with. What a truly wonderful time I had camping. Thank you God; You plans for me are so perfect.
I haven't yet been accepted into the SOW. I don't know if I will. I'm waiting to hear through email but God knows the plans He has for me and I know He doesn't want me to freak out but to just enjoy every day and not strive for the future.
I have been reading through Exodus in my morning time with the Lord and He pointed out something very simple to me. I want to share it so that you are encouraged and that if you are having trouble with God's plan for you, that your head would be lifted knowing that He is good and He wants to use you. Exodus 4:1-5
Then Moses answered and said, "But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, 'the LORD has not appeared to you.'" So the LORD said to him "What is that in your hand?" He said, "A rod." And He said, "Cast it on the ground." So he cast it on the ground and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Reach out your hand and take it by the tail" (and he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand) "that they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you."
Moses was a bit scared about the calling the Lord had placed upon His life. He said, "I'm slow of speech... I'm not eloquent" so the Lord gave Moses Aaron, as a helper, as a mouth piece. Before Moses asked for that, he said, "How will the Israelites know that you sent me?" And God said, "I AM WHO I AM... you will tell the children of Israel I AM has sent you." For every one of Moses' fears, God provided and gave an answer. God told Moses that He was sending him to Egypt because He had heard the cry of His children and He wanted to deliver them; Moses just wanted to make sure God had picked the right guy for the job. Then again, Moses' faith was wavered and he said, "suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, 'the LORD has not appeared to you.'" God said, "What is that in your hand?"
When I read through this passage, I so relate to Moses; I hear the call upon my life and I immediately start to question, doubt, waver, and ask, "God, are you sure you want me to do this?" But what God pointed out to me this most recent time I read through this passage was that He equips us, when we don't even realize it, and gives us all we need for what He wants to accomplish through us. Moses needed to know the name of the One sending Him; that name that is all described in I AM. Moses needed Aaron as his mouth piece, his helper; so Moses brought before the LORD his concern about not being able to speak well and God gave Him Aaron. Then Moses wonders, "How will they really believe me?" And God said, "Look at what is in your hand moses. I will use that rod, that rod that you have been using to shepherd your sheep in Midian. That rod that you have used to fight away wolves and lead your sheep along the right path. I will use what is in your hand, what has been in your hand these forty years. I have already equipped you, now go and fulfill my call and my plans. And that rod in your hand will reveal My wonders Moses and bring deliverence to My people."
That is God's heart. I realized that is God's heart for me. He wants to use what He's already given me... whether it's just my fingers to play piano and a voice to sing, or whether is the pin and paper I have in my hands to write or the laptop I'm using right now. God doesn't ask us to do something He's not prepared us for; what a comfort and what a sweet reminder from my I AM.
So for you too, whatever you feel God is calling you to do or leading you into, know He's equipped you even if you don't feel ready. What is that in your hand? What has God given you already? Well, I can confidently say that He will use it and His wonders will be seen through you. Do bring your requests to Him; do make known to your Almighty I AM that you need help or that you are scared. Most of all, know that God loves you so much and that He desires to rescue His children when they cry out to Him.
There is a song that often floods my mind when I think of crying out to God and it says this:
You hear every word I cry. My tears, you have turned to life. You're here, Lord You satisfy my soul. Lord You satisfy my Soul, Lord you Satisfy my soul." The song is by Jimmy Robeson and I encourage you to lisen to the full version his site www.jimmyrobeson.com.
I hope you are filled with joy and ready to cry out to the Lord and walk in His calling for you! May your heart beat in sync with His today and may you continue to be set apart for Christ.
Handmaiden of the Lord,
Melissa Rae