Your staff…..God’s Purpose
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3: 5-6
A few weeks ago, while I was reading my bible, I discovered that I have something in common with Moses, pretty cool, huh! Moses was a prophet who led the Israelites out of Egypt. He received the Ten Commandments from God. He is considered one of the most important figures in Biblical history and is known for his direct communication with God, such as speaking with God in the burning bush.
It was while reading that very story that I discovered what I had in common with such a great man of God. I was so excited that I took a picture of the passage I was reading and immediately sent it to my sister, who I knew would not only completely agree but also get a good laugh out of it.
The passage read, “Moses threw his shepherd’s staff to the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it.” Yes, the thing I have in common with Moses is a tremendous fear of snakes, and yes, I run when I see them.
The beauty of this is that God had gotten my full attention with this passage, gave me a good laugh, and now wanted to show me the deeper message that was in it, not only for me, but to share with others as I went treasure hunting in His Word. I discovered that….
A shepherd’s staff was commonly a three-to six-foot wooden rod with a curved hook at the top. The shepherd used it for walking, guiding the sheep, killing snakes, and many other tasks. Still, it was just a stick. But God used the simple shepherd’s staff Moses carried as a sign to teach him an important lesson. God sometimes takes joy in using ordinary things for extraordinary purposes. What are the ordinary things in your life? – your voice, a pen, a hammer, a broom, a musical instrument? While it is easy to assume God can only use special skills, we must not hinder His use of the everyday contributions we can make. Moses could not have imagined the power his simple staff would wield when it became the staff of God.
A “staff of God” primarily refers to the staff Moses used, which became a symbol of divine authority and power used to perform miracles like parting the Red Sea, striking the rock for water, and causing the ten plagues in Egypt. It represents divine power, guidance, and protection.
The next verse in the passage I had been reading said, “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.”
That very thought terrified me. Taking hold of the thing I am most afraid of. But if God asks us to do something, we can rest assured that He has already provided a way for it to be accomplished. If the task involves facing some of our weak areas, then we can trust that He will provide words, strength, courage, and ability where needed. Remember, Moses had just run from the same snake that now, by obedient faith and with courage given to him by God, he picked up by the tail.
The story continues….while fighting feelings of inadequacy, Moses clung tightly to his shepherd’s staff as he returned to Egypt to face the greatest challenge of his life. The staff was his assurance of God’s presence and power.
When we feel uncertain and afraid, we also have something to hold tightly to: we have God’s Word that is filled with His promises and examples of His faithfulness, as we’ve seen from the great heroes of faith, like Moses. We have God’s Holy Spirit that lives within us that will guide, direct, and encourage us. And we, too, have the incredible privilege of communicating directly with God through prayer.
My prayer is that we will pick up our staffs, trust God, and go boldly wherever He leads.
