by Neal Joseph
Before Moses led the Israelites through the wilderness for 40 years, he had spent 40 years in the MidianDesert in self-exile after killing an Egyptian who was beating a fellow Hebrew.
During those years, Moses became a shepherd, tending the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law. And as any good shepherd, he was never without his staff. Shepherds like Moses used their staff to help them on their journey and to control and guide their sheep. It is one of a shepherd’s most prized possessions, and certainly was a big part of his “profession” at that time.
And before he led God’s people out of Egypt, God first changed his thoughts about his shepherd's staff. In fact, God instructed Moses to lay down that which represented his life and calling so that He could transform it and raise it up for His purposes. Once Moses laid his staff down and then took it back up, a significant change took place. It was no longer his shepherd's staff; it was the “staff of God.” God’s staff has supernatural power; ours does not.
Moses’ obedience transformed him from serving in what was viewed as the lowliest of professions in that culture to the leader of a great nation. And after his staff became God’s, it was used as an instrument of deliverance and transformation for the people of God. It delivered them out of the slavery of Egyptthrough the miracle of the parting of the Red Sea. His staff was also used to produce water from a rock (though against God’s instructions); it was transformed into a snake and back; and it was used to win the battle against the Amalekites as Aaron and Hur held us Moses’ arms. Moses’ staff helped transform a people from slavery to freedom, demonstrating both God’s power and Moses’ God-given authority.
How about you? Are you willing to give up your staff in order to “pick up” God’s?
Note: Special thanks to Os Hillman of TGIF for the inspiration behind this devotional thought.