What is that in your hand? ∙∙
The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” – Exodus 4:2
Philippians 1:12-14
12 Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News.
13 For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ.
14 And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.
The Sovereignty of God in Tragedy
Life often feels like a barrage of painful news and unexpected crises. Tragedy is inevitable in a broken world, but its presence need not define us. For those who trust in the Father, tragedy becomes fertile soil for His restoration and purpose. The challenge lies not in avoiding these moments but in ensuring they don’t define who we are.
When faced with pain, confusion, or fear, it can feel tempting to numb the emotions or hope the difficulty somehow vanishes. But there is a different way forward. For those who trust in the Father, tragedy can be the very soil where God plants seeds of restoration and purpose.
A God Who Works Through the Unexpected
The Bible shows how the Father consistently transforms hardships into victories. Paul’s life exemplifies this truth. Despite being in chains, he shows us how circumstances do not hinder God’s sovereignty but instead magnify it through them.
He declares in Philippians 1:12-14, “Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.”
From prison, Paul saw God’s hand at work. His chains didn’t limit the gospel but advanced it in new and unexpected ways. The Greek word translated as “advance” is prokopen. Prokopen was used to describe blazing a trail before an army. It is from the verb prokoptein, which means to cut down in advance. “The verb which is used for cutting away the trees and the undergrowth, and removing the barriers which would hinder the progress of an army” (Barclay). In the New Testament, it is used only figuratively for progress, advancement, or furtherance.
Paul’s unwavering joy and enthusiasm were contagious, inspiring fellow children of the King to boldly proclaim the message of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul’s imprisonment did not halt his endeavors or impede his forward momentum. On the contrary, it became a catalyst for the Father’s mission to flourish. It presented Paul with fresh avenues to spread the gospel. As a result, many others entered into the Father’s Forever Family. The rest is history.
REFLECT & PRAY
The Father is always at work. He arranges and uses the circumstances of life to accomplish His purposes.
Father, help me view my circumstances as You do. You are welcome in my wounded places.
INSIGHT
God’s Call to Moses
Imagine Moses, a man leading a quiet life in the wilderness, suddenly called into the presence of God through a miraculous burning bush when the Father calls out, “Moses! Moses!” Moses humbly replies, “Here I am” (Exodus 3:4). This moment becomes the starting place for one of the most extraordinary assignments in biblical history. His life was forever changed.
God introduces Himself to Moses as the God of his forefathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Overwhelmed by the weight of this encounter, Moses hides his face in awe and fear (Exodus 3:6).
Then comes the grand revelation of God’s plan. He has chosen Moses for an extraordinary task: to lead His people, the Israelites, out of Egypt, freeing them from slavery. But Moses is immediately struck by feelings of inadequacy. He protests, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:10-11).
Wrestling with Doubt and Fear
Can you relate to Moses’ reaction? When faced with a calling or responsibility that seems beyond your capabilities, it’s natural to feel unworthy or unprepared. Moses’ objections might seem audacious, but they are deeply human. He questions his qualifications and fears rejection. Even when God reassures him with the promise of His presence (Exodus 3:12), Moses remains hesitant.
Moses is afraid of being dismissed, doubted, or ignored. He asks in Exodus 4:1, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The LORD never appeared to you’?”
But God doesn’t rebuke Moses for his fears. Instead, He asks a straightforward question that changes everything.
The Question That Changes Everything
“What is that in your hand?” (Exodus 4:2).
God directs Moses’ attention to something unremarkable and ordinary: a shepherd’s staff. It’s a tool Moses would have used daily in his work. Yet, when God asks Moses to throw it to the ground, the mundane becomes the miraculous. The staff transforms into a living snake, something so startling that Moses jumps back in fear (Exodus 4:3).
This was no magic sleight-of-hand illusion like the Egyptian magicians performed. They had a magic snake trick. When they grabbed a serpent by the head just the right way, it would become trance-like and rigid (ZIBBC). Then they would walk with them like they were scepters or walking sticks. Whenever they wanted to perform the trick, they let go of the snake and dropped it to the ground. No longer stunned and paralyzed, it slithered about. When the priests wanted to retrieve the snake, they would pick it up by the head, not the tail, to avoid being bitten. They would then employ their “magic” grip to stun it and make it rigid again.
Then God instructs Moses to do the unthinkable—to grab the snake by its tail. Yet, God tells Moses to do the very thing that requires complete trust. This act of obedience demonstrates that faith often calls us to do the unexpected, relying not on our understanding but on God’s power. Despite the risk, Moses obeys, and the snake turns back into a shepherd’s staff in his hand.
This moment is more than a demonstration of power; it’s a profound lesson about God’s ability to use the ordinary to accomplish the extraordinary.
God’s Power in the Ordinary
The transformation of a shepherd’s staff into a snake and then back again into a staff was a miracle, a sign of authentic divine power. It served a purpose akin to a business card, establishing Moses’ authoritative position. It gave Moses the credentials to stand boldly before the unbelieving Hebrews and Egyptians and fearlessly proclaim the Father’s message.
Moses’ shepherd’s staff becomes a powerful symbol of God’s authority and provision. Throughout the story of Exodus, this same staff is used to perform miracles, from parting the Red Sea to bringing water from a rock.
The transformation of the staff serves as a clear message: the tools, skills, and resources we already have, no matter how simple, are more than enough when surrendered to God. What Moses carried in his hand wasn’t special on its own, but in God’s hands, it became a vessel for His divine purpose.
Faith in Action
God’s instruction for Moses to grab the snake by the tail is particularly significant. This act of obedience illustrates that faith often calls us to take unexpected steps, relying not on our own understanding but on God’s power.
This moment wasn’t just about Moses. It was about God equipping him to stand boldly before Pharaoh and the Israelites, armed with the authority of the One who sent him.
The Same God, the Same Transforming Power
Moses’ story serves as a timeless reminder. The same God who worked through Moses’ staff also transformed Paul’s chains into opportunities. Whether it’s an object, a circumstance, or a limitation, the Father has a way of using what seems small or insignificant to achieve His great purposes.
Like Moses, you may feel ill-equipped or burdened by your circumstances. But what’s in your hand? No matter how simple or insignificant it feels, it can become a vessel for God’s power. Trust Him. Obey Him. And watch as He makes the impossible possible.
¯_(ツ)_/¯5-25-3
© Dr. H 2025
Dr H Reflections 