Throw Your Staff on the Ground
Jul 2, 2018 1940
When I was a young man, people told me often that I should train at a seminary to become a Christian pastor. But I always said to them that if the Lord could call Peter out of his boat and stop Saul dead in his tracks on the way to Damascus, that he could also call me himself. So God planned to do just that, but there was something he had to do first in my life.
Being in business management, during much of my life I had learnt to depend on my own skills in controlling and managing the circumstances of my life. My issues I faced in my upbringing had also nudged me towards being a controlling person. The Lord knew that I had to learn to depend on him and not on myself, because I could even start to serve him in the way that he needed. It was only when my business “empire” collapsed in the Global Financial Crisis of 2007-8, and I lost everything, that God knew I was ready for his call.
God did something similar when he called Moses. He was giving God excuse after excuse about why he didn’t want to serve him, and all the while, he was clutching his shepherd’s staff tightly. This was a vitally important tool on which Moses had learnt to depend. His staff helped him guide the sheep, walk along rocky paths, and it was also his weapon, with which he could defend himself from wild animals or robbers. The more nervous Moses felt as he spoke with God, the tighter he held on to his staff. But the Lord knew what was going on:
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 (Exodus 4:2–3, NIV).
There’s a powerful spiritual meaning in this episode. Moses was making all sorts of excuses to God, because he was relying on his own strength. And so God asks Moses to throw the very item that Moses used for work, support, and protection to the ground.
Admit your weakness, and God will become your strength.
Before you can be useful to God, you must acknowledge our helplessness before him. Whatever we may have of earthly strength and pride we must throw to the ground before God. Then, and only then, can we be useful to God: only when we rely on his power alone.
When Moses threw his staff on the ground, it became a snake, and Moses ran from it. Moses saw his staff in its true form, as a deadly enemy, and he ran from it. We too would run from many the things to which we are most attached, if we could only see how dangerous they are to our souls. They are like poisonous snakes because they cause us to trust ourselves instead of trusting God.
Today, the Lord is asking you the same question that he asked Moses, “What is in your hand?” So look at your hand now. What is it that you are relying on for your self-confidence, financial security, or identity, other than God?
The Lord says to you, “Throw it on the ground.” Trust in him alone, and then you will be qualified to serve him. Admit your weakness, and God will become your strength.
– Eliezer Gonzalez
Gift Bwalya
Jul 10, 2018
Amen to this beautiful encouraging words and am giving my weakness to God Elohim
Harris Doleh
Jul 9, 2018
I sincerely appreciate you for making my day complete with these words of encouragement. I see myself directly in this message of the day, may God help deliver me from the spirit of self confidence. May God richly bless you Sir.
Josephine
Jul 9, 2018
Such beautiful words of encouragement such a wonderful blessing...God bless you all at GNU ?
Gloria
Jul 9, 2018
This post has really encouraged me. I don't really know what I should throw to the ground, maybe I should throw down my entire life. My prayer is to know God more. My prayer is to be used by Him.
Martha
Jul 9, 2018
Thank you for today’s reading ,it has helped me one thing I got to throw to the ground is my anger, as it doesn’t do any good for my health. Will leave it in God’s hand to help me.
Jacob Mahama
Jul 8, 2018
May we continue to depend on God alone. God is our banner!
Tanyi rose
Jul 8, 2018
Thanks a lot for the teaching. I was so blessed and will share with others.
Eliezer Gonzalez
Jul 8, 2018
May the Lord pour his richest blessings into your life! Grace and peace, Eliezer
Celine
Jul 8, 2018
Thank you so much Pastor Gonzalez. I know God is dealing with me in a certain area in my life and this message is confirmation. I need to surrender everything in my life to Him. He is the ALL sufficient God.
Elbert T. Nyonneoh
Jul 6, 2018
Thank you once more Bro. Gonzalez for these few words of encouragement for today, I am really touched and inspired by them till I do not even want these words to come to an end. So I am going to meditate on them because you have fed my soul for the day.
Ebenezer
Jul 15, 2018
I am highly blessed with this wonderful teaching. more grace and anointing. I totally surrender all my weakness to God.thanks