Listening for the Cries

Planted within Moses’ story is a symbolic reminder of his function as God’s instrument. Throughout the Bible, we read that Moses carried a staff. God used it to convince Moses that he would not be alone throughout the journey (Exodus 4:2-5). The staff was again used to prove to the Hebrews as well as the Egyptians that Moses was indeed God’s messenger (Exodus 4:30 and 7:9-10). It was used by Moses during five of the ten plagues (see Exodus 7-10), to part the Red Sea (Exodus 14:16), to wage war (Exodus 17:19), to bring healing (Numbers 21:9), and was probably useful for the 80-year-old man’s forty-year walk in the desert! Just as the staff was an instrument in Moses’ hands, so too was Moses an instrument in the hands of God. That’s what we are called to be -- instruments of purpose.

What is it you hold in your hands? Guilt, regret, shame over past failures -- God can use it. A speech impediment – He’ll take that, too. A life wasted in the desert – give it to Him. Whatever you’ve got, God can use. But you must be willing to surrender it to Him for His purpose.