Second Shot at Leadership

"Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn; he refuses to let the people go. Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he is going out to the water, and station yourself to meet him on the bank of the Nile; and you shall take in your hand the staff that was turned into a serpent. You shall say to him, "The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, 'Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness. But behold, you have not listened until now.' Thus says the Lord, 'By this you shall know that I am the Lord: behold, I will strike the water that is in the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it will be turned to blood. The fish that are in the Nile will die, and the Nile will become foul, and the Egyptians will find difficulty in drinking water from the Nile.'"' Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Say to Aaron, "Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, and over all their reservoirs of water, that they may become blood; and there will be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone."' So Moses and Aaron did even as the Lord had commanded. And he lifted up the staff and struck the water that was in the Nile, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, and all the water that was in the Nile was turned to blood." -Exodus 7.14-20

God appeared to Moses, and Moses said, "Send someone else." God sent Aaron, Moses' brother, and he went with Moses. Moses has his request answered, but he isn't off the hook. This is now a team effort, God speaking to Moses, Moses speaking to Aaron, Aaron speaking to Pharaoh. But now as they enter round three, God gives Moses another chance to lead.

He tells Moses to go to Pharaoh and speak to him. Then, because Pharaoh has a stubborn, hardened heart, he is to take his staff and strike the Nile with it, and it will turn the water to blood. This time we don't see Moses ask God to send someone else, we see him act as God has instructed. He's been given a second chance to lead, and he takes it.

Men, have you let a chance pass you by? Have you asked God to send someone else, either verbally or by running as fast as you can in the opposite direction. Just know that God doesn't give up easily. God has a plan for your life, and I believe He'll try and get you to do it as long as you're still breathing. Just because you missed the first chance doesn't mean it's over.

In the time from the burning bush until now Moses has seen God come through. He has seen Him do things He promised to do. He's heard part of the plan directly from God. It was a time of faith building, and when the second chance comes, Moses is ready to take it.

Are you ready to take the second chance? God has a plan for your life, and saying no once doesn't change that. If you've said no before, why has that been your answer? In the time since you've said no how have you grown? Where have you seen God at work? When the second chance comes, what will your answer be?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor


The Nile from a bridge in Cairo