Exodus 4:2 "Then the Lord said to him, 'what is that in your hand?' 'A staff,' he replied. The Lord said, 'Throw it on the ground. Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it".
Today I want to share from a personal journey/experience and it's my prayer that you will be encouraged and more so, you will be stirred up to allow God use you in whatever capacity He has called you in. For quite sometime I've had this deep longing to share about God and more so, the lessons/seasons He has taken me through but for some reason I always felt inadequate/unqualified. I always thought - "who'd even take time to listen to this ordinary girl next door yet there are bigger names out there with huge followings that do the exact same thing she wants to do". I shied away completely & I would time and again get excuses to avoid what God was putting so heavily in my heart to do. Just to avoid the constant back & forth with God, I decided to start doing it once in a while and about a year ago, I figured it's time to stop running and embrace whatever it is I was feeling led to do.
Honestly speaking, it was such a struggle but I'm grateful that God has stuck by my side. I always used to hear that God shows you only the first step and when you take it and trust Him, He reveals the next step. That is exactly what has happened. The moment I made the decision to obey that urge to always share and encourage, the Holy Spirit has opened my heart to sharing. Thing is, as I share my experiences and the lessons that I've learnt God is growing me even more.
This week's devotion is a call to action for each and every one of us. God has placed talents and gifts in us. When He created us, each of us was uniquely made for God knew that creation will one day require that which He has deposited in us. Romans 8:19 "For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the Sons of God". Trust me when I tell you, creation is eagerly awaiting that which God has deposited in you that will be a blessing to your generation. This takes me back to the parable that Jesus told of the master who traveled and apportioned talents to each of his 3 servants. Matthew 25:14-30
Matthew 25:14-15 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his good to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.
Matthew 25:16 -19 "Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them".
Matthew 25:20-23 "So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them'. His lord said to him, 'well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord'. He also who had received two talents came and said, 'lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them'. His lord said to him, 'well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord'.
Matthew 25:24 -28 "Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours'. But his lord answered and said to him, 'you wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents".
Matthew 25:29-30 "For to everyone who had, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth".
Now this particular parable challenged me. Many times I found myself looking at people doing major things and changing lives & I felt so ill equipped & unqualified but God gave me a reality check - like young lady, I have placed a gift in you and you had better start using it. Reading through this passage, I felt very challenged and learnt that I need not focus so much on what others are doing, instead I need to focus on what God has placed in my hands and follow the direction that He is taking me. No matter how small I feel it is, I need to just start moving and the rest will sort itself out. Interesting thing is, it may not necessarily be make sense at the moment and it may also not be where the current is moving towards but, trusting in Him will reveal His plans eventually.
Just like God asked Moses when Moses was complaining that Pharaoh will not listen to him when he goes before him to release the children of Israel, God asked him - what is it you have in your hands? So today, I would love to ask - "WHAT HAS GOD PLACED IN YOUR HANDS?"
Almighty Father thank you for giving us another beautiful week to experience your love, grace and mercy. Thank you for this week's challenge to use whatever we have in our hands for your glory. I pray for each of us, may we not feel too little. May we not feel that whatever we have in our hands is too minute to be used by You. Father, we commit whatever we have in our hands to You, we pray that we may utilize it for the building and advancement of your kingdom. I bless your name. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen.
Do have an awesomely beautiful week.
Honestly speaking, it was such a struggle but I'm grateful that God has stuck by my side. I always used to hear that God shows you only the first step and when you take it and trust Him, He reveals the next step. That is exactly what has happened. The moment I made the decision to obey that urge to always share and encourage, the Holy Spirit has opened my heart to sharing. Thing is, as I share my experiences and the lessons that I've learnt God is growing me even more.
This week's devotion is a call to action for each and every one of us. God has placed talents and gifts in us. When He created us, each of us was uniquely made for God knew that creation will one day require that which He has deposited in us. Romans 8:19 "For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the Sons of God". Trust me when I tell you, creation is eagerly awaiting that which God has deposited in you that will be a blessing to your generation. This takes me back to the parable that Jesus told of the master who traveled and apportioned talents to each of his 3 servants. Matthew 25:14-30
Matthew 25:14-15 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his good to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.
Matthew 25:16 -19 "Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them".
Matthew 25:20-23 "So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them'. His lord said to him, 'well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord'. He also who had received two talents came and said, 'lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them'. His lord said to him, 'well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord'.
Matthew 25:24 -28 "Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours'. But his lord answered and said to him, 'you wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents".
Matthew 25:29-30 "For to everyone who had, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth".
Now this particular parable challenged me. Many times I found myself looking at people doing major things and changing lives & I felt so ill equipped & unqualified but God gave me a reality check - like young lady, I have placed a gift in you and you had better start using it. Reading through this passage, I felt very challenged and learnt that I need not focus so much on what others are doing, instead I need to focus on what God has placed in my hands and follow the direction that He is taking me. No matter how small I feel it is, I need to just start moving and the rest will sort itself out. Interesting thing is, it may not necessarily be make sense at the moment and it may also not be where the current is moving towards but, trusting in Him will reveal His plans eventually.
Just like God asked Moses when Moses was complaining that Pharaoh will not listen to him when he goes before him to release the children of Israel, God asked him - what is it you have in your hands? So today, I would love to ask - "WHAT HAS GOD PLACED IN YOUR HANDS?"
- Is it an amazing voice that allows you to sing and minister to and encourage people?
- Is it writing? Do you write so well, it doesn't matter what kind of platform you have, you might have one follower or two followers.
- Do you have a heart that is given to service? That you can serve people and do it wholeheartedly?
Do have an awesomely beautiful week.