"It Will Bite You"

"And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.  And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.  And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand."  Exodus 4:2-4

When the Lord told Moses to throw down his staff, it became a snake.  The purpose was for a work and miracle that Moses was to do later in Pharaoh's presence and in leading Israel.  I want to talk about something else that relates to us today about Moses's staff turning into a snake.

When Moses threw his down, there was something in it that he didn't expect-- a snake.  The word I have for us today is this:  whatever you are holding on to it may actually be something that will come back to bite you. 

If you are holding on to the staff of bitterness and self-pity because someone close to you did you wrong, it can come back to bite you later by keeping you from enjoying any other relationship.  If you are holding on to the staff of unforgiveness, it will come back to bite you later.  I know many people who have held on to unforgiveness for a family member and have gone for years without speaking.  They were later bitten by that unforgiveness because the person died and they then lived with regret.  Unforgiveness will bite you when you stand before God.  How?  If we don't forgive others, the Lord won't forgive us.  If you are holding on to pride, it will certainly come back to bite you.  Pride always goes before destruction.  It will destroy relationships between family members.  It will destroy your goals and ambitions.  It will keep you from surrendering to the Lord and cause you to be eternally destroyed. 

The shepherd's staff was used as an instrument in tending the sheep.  It was used as a weapon to defend the sheep and himself.  It was used to give the shepherd support-- something to lean on when he got tired.  We all hold a "staff".  But what is in it is what's important.  Are you using it as a weapon against others?  Is it a self-defense instrument to keep others at a distance so you won't get hurt again?  Are you using it as an instrument to keep others subject to you and what you want?  Making them line up with your will?  Is it your crutch that you lean upon?  Does it make you feel secure and less vulnerable? 

What ever "staff" you are holding, it may have a "snake" in it, you need to throw it down.  Moses threw his down-- symbolic of giving it to God.  Then the Lord told him to pick it back up-- symbolic of mastering the staff and what was in it.  You need to "master" your staff and get control over it in the Lord.  Once you do, it cannot come back to bite you.

Have a great day.  Does what you are holding on to have a "snake" in it?  If so, you better throw it down or it will come back to bite you.