Five Minute Friday - Have

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One word. Five minutes to write about it. This is the idea behind Five Minute Friday and this is today's free-writing post.

have or have not

to have and to hold

what do you have on hand

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I'm intimidated by the lists of all the things that I should have on hand in case of an emergency. I'm totally on board with being prepared, but there's not way I can plan for every possible contingency, and I don't even have room to store all the things that I think I should have. Occasionally I get a little anxious about the "what if" scenarios that I'm not prepared for.

What you have in hand may be of less essence to knowing and using what you have in hand. ~Ernest Agyemang Yeboah

Sometimes I get concerned about how I'll handle one situation or another if I don't have a plan in place or the specific skills or knowledge it would require. Even thinking about looking for a job - should I even apply if I don't have one of the specific qualifications? How can I do the things I want to do, or the things that are asked of me if I don't have the skills or tools I need?

Don't let the things you don't have prevent you from using what you do have. ~John Locke

Just a couple days ago, my Bible reading was Moses' encounter with God at the burning bush. God gave Moses a big job―spokesman to tell Pharoah to let the Hebrews go―and Moses was understandably concerned about his ability. He was worried that he didn't have the necessary skills or tools to do it.

Then the LORD asked him, "What is that in your hand?"

"A shepherd's staff," Moses replied.

~Exodus 4:2~

God then showed Moses that the tools he had and knew how to use could be used for God's purposes as well. He took what Moses already had and used it to do miracles.

When Israel was at Mount Sinai and was given instructions for building the tabernacle, they were told to offer what they had for the project.

From what you have, taken an offering for the LORD. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the LORD an offering of gold, silver and bronze.

~Exodus 35:5~

The prophet Elijah instructed a poor widow to bring food to him from what she had on hand, and when she did that, God miraculously made that tiny bit of oil and flour last until the famine was ended. When the prophet Elisha wanted to help the poor widow, he asked her, "What do you have in your house?" She had a jar with a little bit of olive oil, so that is what God used to do a miracle of provision for her through Elisha.

Jesus commended the poor widow who put her little coin into the temple treasury, because she had given all she had. 

God is in the business of using what we have on hand if we're willing to give it back to him. He's also in the business of making what we have enough for what we need, and providing what we need when we need it. Being prepared is good. Acquiring skills and provisions is good. Using what we have in obedience to God is best, because he will make sure we have everything we need.

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.

~I Peter 4:10~

For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.

~II Corinthians 8:12~

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Life is like looking for your phone. Most of the time, it's in your hand.

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This post is linked at Five Minute Friday for the word prompt "Have".

This post will also be linked at Inspire Me Monday hosted by Anita Ojeda 

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