staff or snake

Moses is having a conversation with a burning bush. God spoke to Moses, or more accurately, “the angel of the LORD.” From what I understand this refers to a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus. 

Exodus 3 says that Moses was out tending the sheep of Jethro his father-in-law. He saw a bush on fire but never burning up. Curiosity got the best of him and he went over to check it out. Verse 4 says “When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’”

Really, the scene is hilarious. 

Do you think Moses jumped out of his sandals? Apparently not because then the LORD asked Moses to take them off. When God revealed his identity: the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; Moses hid his face in fear. 

A long conversation ensued. God says he has seen the suffering of his people and will send Moses to free them. Moses comes up with some problems in that scenario. Who am I to do this, God? Suppose I go and they ask me What is his name? I’m not really that eloquent. What if they don’t believe?

If you think this could not get funnier, read the conversation between God and barefooted Moses.

Moses: What if they don’t believe?

God: What is that in your hand?

Moses: A staff.

God: Throw it on the ground.

Moses throws it on the ground. It becomes a snake. Moses runs from the snake. 

God: Reach out your hand and take it by the tail. 

AND SO MOSES REACHES OUT AND TAKES HOLD OF THE SNAKE. It turns back into a staff in his hand.

God: This is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers - the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob - has appeared to you.

Fearful and doubting Moses with bare feet warmed by the sand around a bush on fire summons the faith to pick up a snake by the tail. He’s a shepherd. He knows a snake will bite if picked up by the tail. He obeys even though it must have seemed an odd thing to do. That snake morphed back to the staff that comforted and guided his sheep. 

So I ask you, is it a staff or a snake? 

All these fears ramble around in my head like so many snakes... what if I threw them on the ground before the Lord? What if I stood on holy ground with bare feet and asked the Lord to morph them to staffs? 

I’ve got guilt that shuts my mouth. I’ve got doubts that hinder my path. I’ve got deferred hopes that make me nauseous. I’ve got crushed dreams. Would they all change from a writhing pile of snakes to staffs that girded me for the journey if I threw them down before God?

My “what if’s” are numerous. I begin to name them. I am asking God to work. He is the God of my fathers. The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. 

Note: The inspiration for this post came from Enjoy the Silence by Maggie Robbins and Duffy Robbins, Day 7.