But I Don’t Want To!
“But Moses said, ‘O Lord, please send someone else to do it.'” Exodus 4:13
Maybe Jonah and Moses were cut from the same cloth! (Along with some of us too!) Moses was not jumping with joy over his assignment.
Please read Exodus 4:13-17
But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”
14 Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. 15 You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. 16 He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. 17 But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.”
Even though the NIV translation tells us ‘God’s anger burned against Moses’ , God was very patient with him.
Moses had several arguments and God appears to have conceded somewhat: Moses would not need to speak. And, Moses would not go alone, with only God. He would have his brother, (or brother-in-law), as we might call him, too.
Aaron would speak, but only what Moses told him from God.
How often I dread doing something alone. Especially something unfamiliar. Especially toward the end of the day when I am tired. Recently, I have needed to locate several area schools for my daughter’s track meets. And often, my husband can’t come with me in the car. So I get to navigate to the schools with giggling children in the backseat, a blaring GPS in the front seat, and a very stressed mom in the driver’s seat, attempting to maneuver around rotaries during rush hour.
God knew Moses’ reluctance was in part, due to the idea of going it alone, or at least, without anyone with “skin on”.
God lovingly met that need. He also reminded Moses once again, who’s in charge here: God.
You may certainly have an encourager, someone with “skin on”; but ultimately your trust must fall on God.
When we fully trust God, and offer ourselves, our time, and our lives to God, then we will build the desire to do as we’re told.
We may not always love the assignment. We might still be afraid when facing certain aspects of it. But if our focus is on God, and obeying Him, then, we will learn, to “Want To.”
Prayer:
Lord,
Thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you that even when our hearts are hardened, we can still choose obedience to You. And regardless how often we fall, and fail, You love us immensely.
Amen
Oh, if only I had another adult with me. Someone to help watch traffic. Someone to check road signs. Someone to encourage me along, even after several wrong turns!