Introduction
CALLING
1. Last week we spoke about the story how God called Moses from the burning
bush to become the deliverer of the Israelites from the Egyptian slavery. It was pretty
strightforward matter: God provided something to get Moses´ attention; kind of
fireworks = burning bush; something spectacular - I marvel how much really God
knows us - and as Moses get closer God introduces Himself and told Him how much
He cares for Moses´ people miserabely living under the heavy arm of the Egyptians.
2. Moses is finally called to become what actualy was the purpose of his whole
life. He was born for this purpose, although until now he did not have a clue; didn´t
even dream that he is supposed to be a leader of his people. Often we do not
understand God´s plans for our lives and we´d known today what God has in His
sleeve for us in the future, it wouldn´t do any good to us.
Once we´ve given our lives to our Lord Jesus Christ, everything that happens
to us is part His great plan of salvation; and our personal life is just one piece of a
puzzle; one piece of His awesome plan. We cannot comprehend the whole puzzle; we
cannot be given the whole picture, because we wouldn´t understand anyway.
If Jesus would say to His 12 disciples: Come on, follow me and you will be
murdered because of me and the church I will establish through you will in 2000
years have 2 000 000 000 (2 billion) followers. Would they bieleve Him and follow? I
don´t think so. But He just said: Follow me. And they did. At the time they did not
need to know more than that. Don´t worry about the rest; you just follow Jesus -
that´s the only thing that matters, after all; nothing else. Are you first of all following
Jesus, or are you all the time just trying to figure out what your life will turn out to
be; what school/job to choose, which girlfriend, boyfriend to date, where and how to
get the money, what car, house to buy....? etc. etc.
EXCUSES
1. Now God calls Moses. And what is Moses´ answer? "They will not believe me!
They will not listen!" Moses fears rejection and failure.
How many times you felt God is calling you to do something, but you did not do it
because you were afraid it´s not going to succeed? How many times although you
knew, it is a good godly thing, you did not proceed, because you thought: people will
not understand; people will not like it; people will not listen; will not believe....?
If you live your whole life to please people, you are a failure! We are not here
to please anybody else but our Lord and Saviour Himself. Colossians 1,10 says: "that
you may walk worthy of the Lord, FULLY PLEASING HIM, being fruitful in every
good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."
Moses said: "But what if they will not believe?! What if they will not listen, or
understand?!"
And you may say the same. And you know what is God´s answer to that? God says:
"So what?! Is that your problem, or mine? If it is me, who called you, why is it you
who wants to constitute the job description?! If I am God, who called you to do this,
do not come with the list why it is not possible, but folow me and just do what I have
told you to!"
God doesn´t need your list of "what ifs". He is not interested in it at all. Why
should He? If He really whould like to know why His plan couldn´t work, couldn´t
He Himself, with His mighty wisdom, come up with the awesome list of all
impossibilities?
2. Moses doubted because of his past failures. If you just keep remembering past
mistakes and failures, your future will bring nothing more but passive resignation
into the hands of fate. But your past failures - if given to the Lord - are forgiven; they
are forgiven; their power is quenched, taken away and you are risen with the Lord
Jesus as a new creation and the old things passed away; they are no more and have no
power over you. (2 Cor 5:17nn)
C/
God´s question: What is in your hand?
A/
Simple question.
1. God turns Moses from tomorrow´s fears; He turns him away from "what ifs"
and brings him to the realities of today. Doesn´t matter what you messed up in the
past; if you let God to be your Lord, He will turn your future into His future, because
He will dwell in you, He will dwell in your life; He will change the bad circumstances
of your life into the circumstances that will glorify His name into which you were
engraved.
We do not livein the past and for the past, we live in the present and we live
for the future. And our future is secure, becuase our future is Jesus. He is my eternal
life. He is my blessing and my everything.
2. It is easy to dwell on tomorrow´s problems:
- will there be a great depression?
- will I live to see my children grow up?
- will I be able to pay my bills?
- will I pass the exams?
- will I get to uni...?
- will I get married?
- will I..... it can be an everlasting list
But when you look into the future, do you look into it with Mose´s style of answer?
"Lord, what if...... ... Will they listen? Will they believe?"
or do you trust the Lord and just obey Him, obey His calling, follow Him and do not
worry about the rest?!?!
3. God turns Moses to the one question he can answer now: "What is in your
hand?"
Moses doesn´t have any excuses for not answering this question.
Face the questions you can answer today.
B.
God´s question was strange.
1. Strange because God already knew the answer.
Of course God is not blind. He can see even in the dark; He can see what is in your
mind. He did not ask to get some knowledge, He knows everything. He doesn´t need
our prayer to get some insight into the matter we pray for. He does not need our
information. We do not pray: "Father, let me tell you this..."
No, He doesn´t need our prayers; but we do. We need to talk to God. We need to say
things that bother us; we need to identify the problem; to formulate the possible
solution. We need it.
2. Strange because Moses had so little in his hand. Moses needed to be reminded
of the fact what he could do. God always knows what is in His power, but we often
doubt; we do not believe. Moses though: What can I offer? I do not have anything?
3. Moses could think of nothing of value. God doesn´t need the tools to do
anything. He can create out of nothing, but He wants to use us and we require the
means of operation. But Moses thought he had nothing; at least nothing of real value.
Some sheep maybe, tent, wife, clothes, .... nothing much really.
4. But Moses had a rod in his hand.
When God calls you, He knows who you are, what you have, and what you are
capable of. God doesn´t make mistakes.
5. God would use that stick for His glory.
a. This rod was used for opening the Red Sea (Exodus 14:16).
b. The same rod was used for bringing water from the rock (Exodus 17:5-6).
6. Give what you have to God and He will use it.
What do you have in your hand today? E.g. what do you possess; what gifts are you
already aware of; what things you can do; what do you have control of right now in
your life? You might think just like Moses, that you do not have much at all.
Give it up - or give it to the Lord Jesus. Bring it under His cross and lay it down. Give
it to Him; dedicate everything in your life into His service and you will be amazed
how God will glorify His name with everything you´ve given Him.
If you would ask Moses: "Hey, Mr Moses, what do you thing, how can you
glorify God with that stick?" He would laugh at you and probably chase you with that
stick, that you are mocking God and making fun of him. Look at what is in your hand
and do not laugh. Our God is big God.
C.
God´s question is the Saviour´s question.
1. "What is that in your hand?"
What your life consist of? What is there in your hands today, that you think, has
nothing to do with faith, with God, and you never thought of really giving it to God´s
service. Have you ever though that school you go to, your education, your job, your
skills, what you read, your hobby, your friendships, TV programs you watch, time you
spent, ... anything... anything can bring glory or shame to God. What is in your hand?
2. What do you have to surrender to Jesus?
Whatever you are; whatever you have; give it to Him. There is no way around to
sanctify our life.
3. Later in the chapter (Exodus 4) the rod, that Moses had in his hand is called
"the rod of God" (verse 20). What a difference. Once just a stick, now rod of God!!!
Still the same piece of wood, but what a difference! What made the difference? Moses
gave it to the service of God - in faith and in obedience.
4. God will do more with what you have than you can.
Conclusion
Will you surrender all you have to Jesus?
He will use your talents if you surrender them to Him.
What is in your hand?
Amen.
