God appeared to Moses in the burning bush and told him to go back to Egypt and lead Israel to the promised land. "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?' And he said, 'A rod.'"

Moses was taught a lesson that day that when the rod was put into God's service, it will accomplish what God wanted to be done. It was one of the signs to prove that God had appeared to Moses.

Let's search the Bible and find what others had in-their hand that God was able to use for his glory.

We find David with a "sling" in his hand (1 Sam. 17). When it was used in the service of God, it was used to kill Goliath who had defied God and his army.

Jesus saw a great multitude coming and they found a "lad" with five loaves and two small fish. Jesus took them and blessed them and fed 5,000 men besides women and children. It seemed so little, but in Christ's hand, it became more than enough to feed the multitude and have twelve full baskets left over (Matt. 14:13-21). Jesus saw a widow casting in "two mites." She had given all she had, and Jesus used her to teach a lesson of how to give (Mk. 12:41-44).

Let's ask some others, what is in their hand? "Alien sinner, what is that in your hand?" Is it things of this world that will perish (1 Jn. 2:15-17)? Is it "pleasures of sin" (Heb. 11:25)? Turn from the world and all its pleasures and turn to God. "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle" (Col. 2:21).

"Backsliding Christian, what is that in your hand?" "Is it sins of the past you used to do? Is it beer, wine or whiskey?"' "Is it cigarettes or tobacco of some form?" "Is it vulgar books or magazines?" "It is PG, R, or X-rated video movies?" Repent of all these worldly things and pray to God for forgiveness (Acts 8:22; Jas. 5:16).

"Faithful Christian, what is that in your hand?" "Is it a Bible to read and study each day?" "Is it a Bible to teach a lost soul about their Savior?" "Is it some food or clothes to take to the poor?" "Is it a telephone to call the weak, discouraged or those who missed services?" "Is it a card or a letter to send to the visitors who came to services?"

There is so much work to do, and so few hands who are willing to do it. What would you be able to say if God asked you, "What is that in your hand?"

Guardian of Truth XXXIV: 2, p. 44
January 18, 1990