Ex. 4:1-2

"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." Ex. 4:1-2

When Moses asked God, "How will the people know you have sent me to them?" God asked Moses a simple, yet profound question : "What do you have in your hand?"All Moses had was a staff. Yet that staff became a snake. That staff opened the Red Sea. That staff brought water from a rock. That staff did many things.Why? Was there something magical about the staff? No,that staff was powerful because God had put it into Moses' hand and Moses was willing to give it back to God for ministry.

Throughout scripture we see humble possessions used for great things: a slingshot in the hands of a shepherd,a cloak in the hands of a prophet, a box of ointment in the hands of a repentant woman, a few loaves and fishes in the hands of a generous boy. When touched by God, all of these simple items fell giants, opened rivers, taught lessons and fed a multitude. There was nothing special about the objects themselves. They were but material possessions. They carried no inherent eternal value. Each of them would perish over time. But when they were given to God in humble submission to Him, He did great things through them.

What do you have in your hand today? Do you have a skill? Can you write stories, sing songs, create art,bake food? Give your skill to God and see what He cando with it. Do you have a computer, a car, a lawn mower,a set of books, a musical instrument? Put these things in God's hands and see what miracles he can perform with them. Do you have money, personality, position or authority? See what God can do with you and through you when you give it all to him. Do you have sorrow,pain, a broken heart? You may be surprised to learn that even these things God can take and transform into ministry tools. Perhaps, they may be the most powerful tools, He is able to use.

When we place whatever we have in God's hands, a miracle happens. He takes and transforms it. He makes it more powerful, more dynamic than it was when it was in your hand. The staff had to be cast down, the stone had to be released from the sling, the alabaster box had to be broken, the loaves and fishes had to be given away for the miracle to occur. But in each case, these simple objects became more than they were. They became a snake,a giant-killer, a feast for thousands, and a fragrant lesson which permeates the pages of God's word to this very day.

I am reminded of the story of the great concert violinis and composer Paganini. One day the maestro was giving a concert and, according to the story, a string broke. The great man simply transposed the music and continued playing on three strings. Then as if that wasn't bad enough a second string broke. Again he simply continued playing on two strings.When the third string broke, Paganini stopped playing for just a few seconds and said, "One string and Paganini and finished the concert.

You may feel like you have little to offer God. But if you take whatever He has put in your hand and give it back to him, you will find that with just "one string and Jesus" you can create something beautiful for his Glory.

Lord, keep me focused today on what I have in my hand which can be used for your glory. Amen and Amen.