Women's Ministries

A Message from Mimi

What's In Your Hand?

We have all heard the statement, “She can’t see the forest for the trees.” How often is something within our grasp, or even in our hands and we don’t realize its purpose? We see just such a case in Exodus 4:2-4, when Moses questions God about his service saying, “What if they don’t believe me?” Many of us can relate to Moses. After all, who are we to be used by God? But the Lord answered by asking, “What do you have there in your hand?” I can just imagine Moses thinking, “Hey Lord! We are talking about me speaking for you. Can we stay on the topic?” Wisely, Moses replied, “A staff.”

“Throw it down on the ground,” the Lord told him. So Moses threw it down, and it became a snake! Moses was terrified and ran away. He ran away. Hey, you would too if your broom just turned into a snake! But then the Lord told him, “Take hold of its tail.” So Moses reached out and grabbed it and it became a staff again. If you are familiar with this story you know Moses spent 40 years in Pharaoh’s house as royalty, then killed an Egyptian, fled for his life, and found a new life as a shepherd near Mt. Sinai.

In the midst of a somewhat safe career, God shocks Moses by appearing to him in a burning bush. God had called him by name and had a purpose for his life. Moses had a calling and purpose. He asked two questions of God that can help give us perspective to what is in our hand.

The first question was, “Who am I?” (Exodus 2:11) We often don’t serve because we don’t believe our life is of use to God or valuable to Him. I Peter 2:8-9 tells us we ARE of value to Him. “Some stumble because they do not listen to God’s word or obey it, and so they meet the fate that has been planned for them. But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation, and his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His marvelous light.”

The second question was, “What shall I say?” (Exodus 2:13). Unlike many of us, Moses at least sought God for what to say. But the Lord responds with a counter question, ”What is that in your hand?” A shepherd’s staff is his livelihood. He used his staff for the safety of the sheep and himself. He took it everywhere with him. It was a form of security for him. What happens here with Moses? God does NOT take Moses’ security staff away but shows Moses who the owner is: God. Moses began to see his purpose was from God and He would accomplish it in Moses. He serves God obediently with what’s in his hand.

It was God who supplied his livelihood and his staff.. James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” This staff of Moses had purpose. It was a gift from God. God required that Moses be willing to give God total reign in all he did.

What’s in your hand? Are you a stay-at-home mom? Do you work outside the home? It is He who has allowed you to be where you are for His good purpose. If you were not there, what light would be? Do you hold hands with your children or family as you pray before dinner? That is what is in your hand. BE AWARE. Those little lives need to know about Jesus. Tell them now. Tell them tonight and tomorrow and when they are 16 and making you crazy.

Sometimes you may have a shovel in your hand like our Gulf Coast disaster team to New Orleans. In our WINGS focus on Kathy Mayfield this quarter, you will get an idea of what was in her hand.

Our Missions Focus is on Adma Habibi. Life was not exactly as she had planned, but she truly can see His hand had moved in her calling. “He gives beauty for ashes, grace for fear, gladness for mourning, peace for despair. You will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified.” Isaiah 61:3

Mimi Moseley
Women’s Ministries Director