Q #3: 3 Practical Questions

*This is Part 3 of a 3 part series. Part 1&2 are here: Q #1: 3 Practical Questions; Q #2: 3 Practical Questions*


Q #3: What's In My Hand?

Dave Gibbons in his book: The Monkey and the Fish asks this question of himself, his church leadership and his ministry third. He illustrates this idea of "what's in my hand?" with the story of Moses in Exodus 4:1-5. This is where Moses shares with God that he is not good enough to lead God's people to freedom, nor does he think they will believe Him. He states: “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’”

The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”

He [Moses] said,“A staff.” And he [God] said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent...

Moses was making excuses, God gave answers. Moses didn't think he had anything of value to offer. God showed him that he did.

Dave goes on to discuss how we get hung up within ministry on the things WE DON'T have, rather than the things we DO have.

If I'm honest, I do this and I use the things I don't have as excuses for my ministry. Here are a few I've said in Youth Ministry:

"My budget is way to small to do much of anything"

"My leader core is too small for us to grow"

"I'm over-worked, I can't do ANYTHING else"

"My church is too small to do real deal BIG time ministry, so why try"

"The teens I work with would never like it"

"I'm not a worship leader, so I just won't have worship"

Wow...do those sound familiar? I bet they do. We as Youth Pastors forget what's in our hands. We forget that God has gifted us with great leaders who are willing to do what it takes. We forget that God has gifted us with the ability to teach/preach or innovate.

We forget the time we played Super-hero on a low budget when we were kids...the time when we allowed our imagination...not the COST lead and direct what we did.

Ministry is tough. However, we need to focus on what we already have in our hands...not what we're lacking. God has placed us where we are for a reason...maybe that imagination will come in handy (even if you do eventually have a HUGE Youth budget).

Here's a HUGE thing we have in our hands...something Moses forgot and something we forget too:

We Have GOD!

In ministry, sadly I have forgotten this. I'm complaining, whining or just not paying attention, so I miss the fact that God is with me. I have HIS Holy Spirit within me. I have His Word in Front of me...yet I neglect to seek His counsel. I say, as Moses did: “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11). I question what he has called me to, I question my ability, I complain about my circumstances and God says to me (as he did Moses: “But I will be with you..." (Exodus 3:12)

God is with us. He is the gift giver who has given us what is already in our hands. Sometimes we need to sit, rest in the Lord and open our eyes yet again to what he has already given to us. This is the reality of ministry: we will forget. However, when we read His Word and feel, hear and experience His Spirit, may we continue to see His great gifts...and USE them!