What’s That in Your Hand?

Yesterday in church Minister-Lou told the story of Moses… looking after his father-in-law’s sheep… a burning bush catches his attention… God’s speaks from the flames. He’s chosen Moses to lead the Jewish nation from slavery in Egypt. Moses makes many excuses…

God says to Moses, ‘What’s that in your hand?’. ‘A staff’ Moses replies. God tells Moses: ‘Throw it on the ground.’ It becomes a snake. Moses picks it up; it becomes a staff again…

I’ve heard the story many times…

I told it myself in school assemblies…

…A young boy, Deauville Walker, is given a camera for his birthday. He’s sitting, clutching it in church, dreaming about the pictures he’ll take. The preacher, telling the Moses story, shouts, ‘What’s that in your hand?’ Deauville snaps out of his dreaming and replies, ‘A camera!’

Eventually Deauville became a photographer, using his pictures to raise awareness of third world poverty.

I’d then encourage the children to discover and develop what they’re good at – whatever’s in their hand.

Eight years ago was Mike’s ordination. I’d known Mike for many years. He played guitar at church. He was a journalist, a writer, with a wife and young family. He left his job and trained for church ministry.

At his ordination Dotha told the Moses story. ‘What’s that in your hand?’  For Moses it was a shepherd’s staff. For Mike, she said, it was reading and writing – his gift as a wordsmith.

Mike’s still gifted with words… See https://www.youtube.com/@revmikesherburn?

Yesterday Minister-Lou’s emphasis was that Moses’ staff wasn’t anything grand. It was just a stick. Everyone was given a small coffee-stirring stick… ordinary, worthless, insignificant.

‘What’s that in your hand?’ For Moses, Deauville and Mike it was a significant talent or gift. What I have in my hand may appear to be of coffee-stirring-stick importance and dimensions. But ‘just-a-stick’, identified, and made available to God can be transformed…

So today I’m musing on what apparently insignificant coffee-stirring sticks I might be holding… that may have greater potential than I realise.