Moses: Send Someone Else

"One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he went deep into the wilderness near Sinai, the mountain of God.  Suddenly, the angel of the Lord appeared to him as a blazing fire in a bush.... Then the Lord told him, 'You can be sure I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt.  I have heard their cries for deliverance from their harsh slave drivers.  Yes, I am aware of their suffering. So, I have come to rescue them from the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own good and precious land..... Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh.  You will lead my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.'"  Exodus 3:1,2,7-8a, 10  NIV

Can you feel the butterflies in his stomach and the racing pulse of his heart?  Moses was not prepared for this.  He was simply about the tasks of his day when God stepped in and made an ordinary day anything but ordinary!  God had chosen Moses to go to the Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of captivity because God had heard their cries.  I wonder if Moses was thinking, "God you have power over all the earth.  Why do you need me to do this task?"  The truth is God didn't need Moses.... He chose him.  God loves nothing more than to use His creations for His work.  It brings Him joy, but ultimately, it is for our growth and maturity in faith.  He chose Moses even when Moses didn't want to be chosen.  Can you relate?

Our passage is long today, but please read  Exodus 3-4:17.  If you are comfortable writing in your Bible mark or highlight each time Moses voices why he cannot follow in obedience.  Let's take a look at each of the reasons Moses gave to not go into Egypt.....

"But who am I to appear before the Pharaoh?"..... God, who am I do to this task?  I am not qualified- in fact, I struggle with sin so. Remember that big sin in my past?  You can't use me- I messed up too bad!  I am not qualified, equipped or prepared.    Does this sound familiar?  I can relate all too well!  Moses, like us, did not feel like the right person for the job, but God's ways are not our ways.  He loves us too much not to use us for His glory and kingdom.  He is going to use you because He loves you!  God, most often, does His greatest work in us when we feel the most ill-equipped.  Why?  Because we are so dependent on Him when we are at our weakest.

"If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, 'The God of your ancestors has sent me to you.' they won't believe me.  They will ask, 'Which god are you talking about? What is his name?' Then what should I tell them?" ... God is this really you?  God reveal yourself to me and make this clear so that I know without a doubt that You are real and asking this of me.  So, often we become desperate to see our Father in a new and desperate way when He is pulling us away from our personal comfort zones.  We long to truly see and know that He is real and working in that new struggle or situation.

" Look, they won't believe me!  They won't do what I tell them.  They'll just say, 'The Lord never appeared to you.'"...  No one else would pick me for this task.  They are going to think I am crazy because this just does not make sense to me and won't make sense to them.  I am nothing special- what is going to make them want to trust me?  When Moses had left Egypt, he didn't seem to fit with his people and certainly didn't have confidence that they would listen to him, but the Lord was already preparing their hearts.  The truth is, even if they did not listen to Moses, God was most concerned with Moses' obedience to Him in this than their response.  The same is true for us.... God is most concerned about our loving, obedient response to His calling than He is about the reaction of others.

"But Moses pleaded with the Lord, 'O Lord, I'm just not a good speaker.  I never have been, and I'm not now, even after you have spoken to me.  I'm clumsy with words.'"...  Father, I can't do this.  I do not have the abilities that are needed for this task.  It is beyond me.  Yet, the Father loves to call out those lacking in ability because He knows only He will get the praise and glory for it.  Plus, those who feel the most lacking in their own personal ability will cling ever so desperately to HIM.   I have often heard it said that God doesn't call the equipped because He equips the called.  The same is true for us, dear friend. 

"Lord, please!  Send someone else."...  I am afraid, Father.  Scared beyond all reason of this task that You have laid before me!  The fear is real, but our Father is greater than the fear that holds us back.  To be honest, all the other excuses had the root of fear.  Moses is afraid, but so am I.... when God starts a new chapter in my life, too often the root of all my excuses is fear.  It is one of the greatest attacks by the evil one, but we must not live in fear because He has overcome the world.

My friend, is God calling you down a new journey?  You may not feel prepared or right for the task ahead, but step on in faith.  The Father will always be with You and the journey ahead will be great as your faith is stretched closer to Him.  He has already prepared the way ahead for you.... now rest in the peace and joy of being chosen for the task and in His tremendous love for you!

Blessings!