Wednesday, April 6, 2022 Some material taken from The Making of a Leader Part 5
And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs. Exodus 4:17
The Rod of God
God met Moses in the desert and placed a call on his life. Moses did not feel like he was capable or equipped to do the job God was calling him to do. But God told Moses that He would give him everything he needed if he would just trust Him. Then God used Moses’ shepherd staff to demonstrate His power for Moses. When Moses surrendered to God and surrendered what he had in his hand – his staff – it became the Rod of God. God used what Moses had in his hand to fulfill His purpose.
The rod was used for deliverance. He raised his staff so the sea would part, and the children of Israel could escape Pharoah’s army.
As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land. Exodus 14:16
The rod was used for sustenance. God used it to provide water for the people to drink.
But the people thirsted there for water; and they grumbled against Moses... and said, "Why, now, have you brought us up from Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?" So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, "What shall I do to this people? A little more and they will stone me." Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pass before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand your staff... with which you struck the Nile, and go. "Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink." And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. Exodus 17:3-6
The rod was used for strength in battle.
So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand." Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set. So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Exodus 17:9-13
The staff of Moses’ represented his life. He was a shepherd and a shepherd’s staff is symbolic, as well as their most important tool.
It was his identity and his livelihood.
It was safety – for treading on rocky and unstable ground when tending sheep.
It was for protection, for both him and the sheep. It would be used to fight off any animals that would threaten the sheep.
It would also be used to keep the sheep from straying away from the flock.
God can't fully bless and use what we have until we give it to Him. For Moses, it was a staff, but for us it could be many things. We many not even realize it, but often we hold on to something besides God to find security, pleasure, significance, or just to forget about our lives. Whatever it is…God wants it!
All Moses had was his staff and when he finally gave it to God, God blessed it and used it for His mighty purpose and power. It became a powerful tool that God used to demonstrate His might over and over again.
Whatever it is that you have – good or bad – give it to Him. Let Him recover what you are holding onto so it can be used for His glory and purpose in your life.
