Paganini and one string! ∙

Paganini and one string! ∙

Then the LORD asked, “What is that in your hand?” “A shepherd’s staff,” Moses replied. – Exodus 4:2

2 Corinthians 3:5 It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything independently. Our adequacy comes from God.

Nicolo Paganini was an exceptionally gifted Italian violinist and composer of the 19th century, known for his remarkable talent. Like Mozart, he was a child prodigy, although not quite his equal. Paganini made his debut at the age of nine and started touring by thirteen, leaving audiences in Italy, France, and England in awe of his performances.

A famous tale recounts an incident during a complex orchestral performance when one of Paganini’s violin strings suddenly snapped. Unfazed, he continued to play, improvising effortlessly. When a second string broke, Paganini still managed to carry on with just two strings. To the audience’s disbelief, a third string gave way, leaving him with only one.

Faced with a violin missing three strings, many would have accepted defeat, but not Paganini. He brilliantly completed the challenging piece on his Stradivarius with just one string. The audience erupted in applause, standing in admiration. When the applause subsided, Paganini astonished everyone further by performing an encore. Holding up his violin, he declared, “Paganini and one string!”

This story invites reflection: Can the children of the King serve with limited, sometimes broken, resources? Many of us navigate life burdened by challenges and setbacks, akin to playing with broken strings. Consider Moses, who encountered a burning bush on Mount Sinai, unaware that he would meet the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God appeared as the angel of the Lord and spoke to Moses. Despite his initial limitations, Moses served the Father to fulfill an assignment that was far beyond his human capabilities.

Exodus 3:1-6

 1 One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God.

 2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up.

 3 “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.”

 4 When the LORD saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!” “Here I am!” Moses replied.

 5 “Do not come any closer,” the LORD warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.”

 6 “I am the God of your fathers – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.

To his utter surprise, the Father gave Moses an incredible, seemingly impossible assignment.

Exodus 3:10 “Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.”

Moses could not believe his ears. He felt totally inadequate for such a responsibility.

Exodus 3:11 But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?”

But the Father had his back. He said to Moses, “I’ve got this.”

Exodus 3:12 God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.”

Again, Moses protested. But the father was prepared and answered by asking him a question. “What is that in your hand?” (Exodus 4:2).

Moses’ answer was lame. I have a shepherd’s staff; what could I possibly do with a stick? (Exodus 4:3). Moses’ stick was a branch of wood that he had used to lead his sheep.

Undaunted, the Father responded.

Exodus 4:3-4

 3 “Throw it down on the ground,” the LORD told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake! Moses jumped back.

 4 Then the LORD told him, “Reach out and grab its tail.” So Moses reached out and grabbed it, and it turned back into a shepherd’s staff in his hand.

Regrettably, Moses was not impressed. His focus was inward, fixated on his own limited abilities, and he saw himself as wanting. It never crossed his mind that his sufficiency came not from himself but from God.

Exodus 4:10-13

 10 But Moses pleaded with the LORD, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.”

 11 Then the LORD asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the LORD?

 12 Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.”

REFLECT & PRAY

Make use of whatever you have at your disposal to serve the Father.

Father, I am grateful that my strength does not come from myself! Thank You for my sufficiency, which comes from You and You alone. I am confident that whatever You call me to do in Your service, You will supply all the necessary resources and capabilities.

INSIGHT

Reflecting on our own meager abilities and paltry resources can easily lead to feelings of despair and hopelessness. It is easy to simply shut down. It’s natural to question, “Who am I?” Many have pondered this same question, including Moses (Exodus 3:11), David (1 Samuel 18:18), and Job (Job 9:14).

Yet, the Father’s greatness surpasses our humble circumstances. Take Moses as an example when he first ascended Mount Sinai. What did he possess? Just his clothes, sandals, a shepherd’s staff, and a burning curiosity. That was it, the entirety of his worldly possessions. From a human perspective, his resources seemed insignificant. However, the Father perceived something far greater. He saw beyond Moses’ earthly limitations, recognizing the combination of Moses’ resources with God’s boundless resources. The new formula was simple: Moses’ resources + God’s resources = unlimited resources.

Exodus 4:2 Then the LORD asked him, “What is that in your hand?” “A shepherd’s staff,” Moses replied.

Moses had nothing more than a stick, the branch of a tree. How could he possibly carry out the mission the Father was sending him on? How can he fight the Egyptians armed with swords, spears, and chariots (the most powerful weapons of his day) with a stick?

For the Father, it was not a problem! Somehow, merely saying a few words, the Father infused the stick with the almighty power of God. It was no longer a mere shepherd’s staff. It was now the rod of God (Exodus 4:2-17)!

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© Dr. H 2024