Food for Thought
“I’m not the one you want to send.”
by David Churchill

[see study outline]
     Often, while reading the Scriptures or listening to a sermon or attending Bible class, we realize that God is commanding a service of us.  Depending upon the task, we may squirm a little or a lot and present some objection to God as to why we can’t do it.  And, of course, we’re not the first to tell God, “I’m not the one you want to send.”
     When Samuel tells him that he is God’s choice as Israel’s king, Saul objects that his tribe has no reputation and that his family has no reputation in the tribe.  God makes him a king anyway.
     When God tells him that he is to be a prophet for God, Isaiah objects that he is a man of unclean lips surrounded by people of unclean lips.  God makes him a prophet anyway.
     When God tells him that he is to lead the Hebrew people out of Egyptian bondage, Moses raises five objections, the same sort that we might raise.  Let’s briefly look at what those objections might be.

     I’m a nobody of no importance (Exodus 3:11).
     “
Who am I that I should go to Pharoah, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”  God responds He will be with Moses and that Moses’ success will be proof that God was with him.

     I don’t have all the answers (Exodus 3:13).
     “
... and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?”  God answers that particular question and proceeds to inform Moses about what to expect during the mission.

     I can’t handle rejection (Exodus 4:1).
     “
But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’”  God provides Moses a means to prove he is proclaiming God’s instructions.

     I’m not a good talker (Exodus 4:10).
     “
O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”  God replies that He will be with Moses as he speaks and that He will teach Moses what to say.

     Please send somebody else, anyway (Exodus 4:13).
     “
O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.”  This is the point where God gets angry with Moses.  God then sends Aaron for Moses to speak through, but makes it clear that He will still speak through Moses and teach him what to do.

     Think of the particular tasks or services that you see God requesting from you through His Scriptures, but that you’ve been objecting to do.  Do Moses’ objections look familiar?  If God is no respecter of persons, then why would He give you any different sort of answers than what He gave Moses?
     If you have entered into Christ, then you gained God’s promise of life which is in Christ (2 Timothy 1:1).  Living in Christ causes us to be God’s workmanship, created in Christ to do good works (Ephesians 2:10).  He has promised that if we keep his commandments, He will dwell in us … i.e. live in us (John 14:23-24; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 3:17).  Through His written word, He has given to us everything pertaining to life and godliness (Colossians 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:1-15).  The Bible offers its own proofs of being God’s instructions.  The Scriptures tell us what we should teach.
     God tells us in the church that we are to be servants for God.  Can we say we have better objections than the eighty-year-old Moses?  No.  Can we expect answers any more accommodating than what Moses received?  No.  God made Moses a leader anyway.  Let’s plan on God making us servants anyway.



      © David G. Churchill; used by permission. (031105-070421)
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      Unless otherwise noted, “Scripture taken from the NEW KING JAMES VERSION.  Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.”
      This article’s presentation in Exploring God's Word ©2003 David G. Churchill.
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