What Is That In Thine Hand?

by Young, W. | Category: General | Aug 1954

The service of God in the house of God is dependent upon the response of every individual to rise to his responsibility. Excuse may be made of unfittedness or lack of gift to assume responsibility. But the Lord says-" To EACH ONE is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal," and again, "All these (gifts) worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to EACH ONE severally even as He will." In the service of God, the Holy Spirit uses what we have and this, more or less, according to the measure we develop what we have. As an example, in Matthew 25, the man who was going into the far country called his servants and delivered unto them his goods. But in allotting his goods, he did it with discrimination. Unto one, he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, to EACH according to his several ability. We do well to remember that a maxim in God's Word is, "To whom much is given much is required." A young man's ability can only be measured and assessed as it is manifested and developed. We cannot but conclude that complete silence and inactivity in spiritual Zion is unnatural to such as have been called to the service of God. The voice may be used much in conversation, but why is the same voice seldom, if ever, heard when in the assembly prayers on behalf of the work of the Lord? Why is there hesitation in being yoked in public testimony in the gospel? Such inaction and abstinence must emanate from some other reason than inability.

Down through the dispensations God has had work to be done, requiring consecrated vessels to do it. God does not look on the outward appearance, but upon the heart. Character develops in the heart. He rejects the proud and froward man, but says, "To this man will I look, even to him that is of a poor and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at My Word." God resisteth the proud because it is the proud heart that stirreth up strife. The primary graces God looks for are these-To do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before Him. Let your life be governed by the word of 1 Peter 5.6, "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time." If you have a humble heart the mighty hand of God will lay hold of your hand, and use what you have in His service.

When Moses was called to the service of God he hesitated to rise to his responsibility because of an excessive depreciation of himself and unyieldingness to God's word which brought forth the anger of the LORD (Exodus 4.14). After attempts to excuse himself on the basis of inability, coupled with the fear of non-acceptance by his own people, God pointed to what Moses possessed and He said to him-" WHAT 15 THAT IN THINE HAND ?" It was but a rod. "Cast it on the ground" said God, and when he obeyed, God's power was manifested. God mightily used that rod, though but of little worth in itself. It was the divine power behind that rod that caused Egypt's magicians to exclaim, "This is the finger of God," and later the same rod was instrumental in bringing refreshing and life sustaining water from the "rock" to quench the thirst of the people. Oh, to be like that rod to-day, to arouse the ungodly to the reality of the power of God in the gospel, and to be used in bringing refreshing

to the people of God! Exploits were done through that rod, and finally it found an honoured place, when it was put in the ark of the covenant.

When David was going forth to fight Goliath, Saul put his armour on David, but he said, "I cannot go with these." Instead, he chose five smooth stones out of the brook, and with his sling in his hand, he went forth in the power of God, saying, "The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine." They drew near to each other. The Philistine, offended at the sight of this seemingly insignificant, unequal opponent, approached him, saying, "I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air," and in reply David said, "I come to thee in the Name of the LORD of hosts ... whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand." David took one of the stones and put it in the sling, and slung it and smote the Philistine in the forehead so that he fell to the earth. David prevailed with but a sling and a stone. Later God said, "By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of ... their enemies (2 Samuel 3.18). Victorious service for God is wrought by consecrating to God what we have.

When Lazarus came forth from the tomb he had passed from death to life, but his hands and feet were still bound with grave clothes. A child of God may have life in Christ, but may still have need of being loosed from what had previously bound him. It is of note that though the Lord gave life to Lazarus He did not remove the grave clothes. His word was, "Loose him and let him go." Have you the disciple spirit to submit to the servants of the Master, whose words of teaching will be instrumental in loosing you from the grave clothes, and freeing your hands for the service of your God? Oh, to be obedient from the heart to that pattern of teaching whereunto ye were delivered! This is the obedience which frees from sin, to become servants of righteousness, to yield ourselves unto God, as alive from the dead, and our members (hands and feet loosed) as instruments of righteousness unto God. Are you free to serve? If so, then stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath set you free, and be not again entangled in a yoke of bondage. Work, and work like God's remnant people in the days of Nehemiah, when building the wall of Jerusalem. Each wrought with one of his hands and with the other hand held his weapon. The enemy would have made them afraid, saying, "Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done." So also will our enemy deter us from putting our hands to the work, but let our constant prayer be as that of Nehemiah, "Q GOD, STRENGTHEN THOU MY HANDS"

(Nehemiah 6.9).

Young, W. | Aug 1954
General