Send Someone Else to do the Job! - Exodus 1-4

Send Someone Else to do the Job!

Exodus 4:13 (ESV)
13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.”

The above verse is taken from the story of God meeting Moses at the burning bush and telling him to return to Egypt to lead the nation of Israel out of the bondage of the Egyptians.   Moses, on the other hand was full of reasons not to do it.  His first was he stated that the nation of Israel would not believe he was sent.   God, however, tells Moses who to tell the nation of Israel sent him:  

Exodus 3:13-14 (ESV)
13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

Then Moses and uses the excuse that the nation will not even believe him if he says that.  So, God gives him power to perform miracles (turns his staff into a snake, turns his hand into leprosy, and promises to turn water into blood).  But, Moses is still not willing to go.   Finally Moses tells God that he is broken. He is not eloquent of speech.   God, once again, checks off that box but telling Moses He how’s that and that He actually made Moses’ tongue that way.   With all the excuses off the table, Moses finally states our above verse: He simply does not want to go and wants God to send someone else.   Is that not something in all mankind’s heart when asked to serve God in a dangerous situation.   Remember, Moses left Egypt and Pharaoh because he killed an Egyptian solider and buried him.   Pharaoh had Moses on the most wanted list.   With that part of the story, who would want to return.   God was asking Moses to live by faith.  If Moses lived by sight he would never return.   But, God gave him signs that the promises of God could be trusted.  Moses had to lean into God in faith to accomplish a task he didn’t feel prepared for or adequate to complete and that was dangerous to his life.   God calls us to serve in hard places, but prepares us and equips us and empowers us as we go.   If we go in faith.