Speak softly, and carry something

"take in your hand your..."

Exodus 17:5

My kids and I watched a movie about Moses the other day.  It had been a couple of years since we'd seen it, and I'd forgotten how much I enjoy seeing Biblical events brought to life.  Reminds me of details I'd forgotten, or maybe even never noticed in my reading.

I also love the liberties that moviemakers are able to take.  We simply don't have all the details about our Bible heroes and their lives, so it's fun to imagine those things we don't know.  And since moviemakers are paid to imagine, I enjoy seeing what they imagine!

I had an interesting conversation with my Amazing Boy during this most recent watching of the movie.  I guess Amazing Boy was starting to realize how big a role the rod of Aaron and the rod of Moses played in God's miracles.   Every time a miracle took place, a rod was the instigator.   In obedience to God, Moses instructed Aaron's actions, and his rod became a serpent (Exodus 7).  Then Aaron obediently stretched his rod over the waters, and they became blood (Exodus 7).  Then He wanted Aaron to stretch his rod over the waters, and cause the frogs to come over Egypt (Exodus 8).  Then Aaron's rod struck the dust and brought lice over the land (Exodus 8).  Next, Moses stretched out his rod toward heaven, and the Lord sent thunder and hail and fire (Exodus 9).  Then Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt, and here came the east wind with the locusts (Exodus 10).  And then, as you probably know, Moses lifted up his rod over the Red Sea, and the children of Israel crossed in safety (Exodus 14).

And while we were watching all of this, my boy said to me, "Did God give Moses that rod?"  And I said "No, Moses already had that.  It was just a tool of his trade."  And then I added as an afterthought, "God uses what we have."

Ordinary things can become powerful when God is behind them.  God can use anything.  Or nothing.  When He created the earth, it took only a word.   For David, God used a stone.  For Noah, a boat.  For Jesus' act of sacrifice, He used a cross. 

There are things in our lives that through Him, are powerful.  But without Him, nothing has any power in our lives.

So what's your "rod"?  A pen?  A computer?  A textbook?  Your voice or your hands or your feet?  Without Him, everything we have is nothing.

But with Him, anything we have can be everything we need.

~ "With God all things are possible" ~

Matthew 19:26