Personal note: Today Brooksyne is again making chaplain visit's solo as my back still hurts, although I feel I am on the mend. It's especially tough when I first get up after laying or sitting awhile. I express appreciation to all who called, emailed and even visited during this time and for those who lifted me up in prayer. Today I considered a long-time friend named Chuck who apparently has a similar condition and one thing pain does is making you empathetic. As I hobbled about I prayed for him and others. Another thing pain does (and I am sure there are many "benefits") is that it sure makes feeling well a blessing that we often take for granted.

Message Summary: What's in your hand this morning? Of course I'm not speaking literally but spiritually. God still has a plan and He's still using ordinary people and ordinary things to do the extraordinary. I enjoy witnessing ordinary people using their "hands" for God's work.  People just like you and me.

Listen to this message on your audio player.

"Then the LORD said to him, 'What is that in your hand?'" (Exodus 4:2). "Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need" (Ephesians 4:28).


What do you have in your hand? Of course many have their cell phone (likely the smart kind) in their hands at practically all times. We know many read our messages on mobile devices. Some reading this, if you are an old-fashioned computer user like me, will look down and realize you have a mouse (a computer mouse that is). Maybe you have a cup of coffee.

"What is that in your hand?" The Lord asked this question to Moses during his encounter at the burning bush. Moses had been called to deliver God's people from bondage. Rather than jumping at the opportunity he's reluctant and unsure of himself and he begins to make excuses.  "They won't listen", "I can't talk good", etc.  Sound like us?

But God had a plan and that plan was going to be fulfilled. Of course the all-knowing God knew the answer to His own question about what was in Moses' hand, but He had an object lesson for Moses. He still teaches us through of object lessons. 

Moses answered, "a staff." God wanted to teach Moses that He could use the ordinary to accomplish the extraordinary. Moses threw the staff to the ground and it became a snake and then back to a staff. Wow! Then God used a demonstration with Moses' hand (see Exodus 4:6,7). Surely Moses would be ready to obey now. But a few verses later Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it" (4:13). Well, as you know, Moses finally obeyed and 3,500 years later is one of the greatest figures in history.

As I studied for this message another verse came to mind, actually just a phrase from our second text, "doing something useful with their own hands." God enables us to take what's in our hands to do something useful and beneficial and that varies widely. We often use the phrase "work with the hands" to describe manual labor but actually virtually all of us use our hands in our work unless prohibited by a disability. (What a blessing that there are accessibility aids for those who cannot use their hands).

What's in your hand this morning? Of course I'm not speaking literally but spiritually. God still has a plan and He's still using ordinary people and ordinary things to do the extraordinary. I enjoy witnessing ordinary people using their "hands" for God's work.  People just like you and me.



Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, thank You for the physical instruments You supply when You created us. We have mouths to speak, ears to hear, eyes to see, feet to walk, and hands to work. We dedicate our lives to You and to Your service, whether it is related to evangelism and the church or whether it is the work we do in places of employment or in our community. May the work of our hands be sweet in Your sight, worthy of honor, and a blessing to others so that we all pitch in to make this world a better place to live, until we reach our eternal abode where sin will not be present nor will there be any more sorrow or sadness. And it’s all because of Jesus in whose name we pray. Amen.

---

"Take My Life"  Video   Kari Jobe  "Take my hands and let them move, At the impulse of Thy love."

"Ordinary People"  Video  Danniebelle Hall