I've always loved the 6th chapter of Isaiah where Isaiah has a vision of the Lord, "seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of His robe fills the temple". Isaiah was impressed with God's holiness and his own sinfulness. After God provided the cleansing Isaiah desperately needed, He issued an appeal: "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?", Isaiah responded, "Here am I, send me!"
I admire the fact that Isaiah said yes before he even knew the assignment (it wasn't an easy one - read 6:9-13 to see the message God gave him to speak and the people's response).
I SO much want to be quick to say "Here I am, send me!", when the Lord calls me to some task, but far too often I'm more like Moses in chapters 3-4 of Exodus.
Moses set out to explore the bush that was on fire but didn't burn up when he encountered the covenental God of his forefathers: the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The Lord explained how He has seen and heard of the suffering of His people in Egypt and had come to help - good news to Moses' ears. You can almost hear him saying: "Yeah! They've been suffering for years! I'm so glad to hear that Lord!", until God says this: "So now, GO, I'm sending YOU to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."
Now maybe Moses isn't so sure this is a good plan. In fact, he's so sure it's NOT a good plan that he starts making excuses: 5 of them!
#1 v. 11 "BUT, who am I that I should go????" Sure he grew up in Pharaoh's household, had all the best education Egypt could provide, but he fled for his life 40 years previously and since then all he's done is shepherd sheep. He's been virtually a nobody for the last 40 years.
#2 v. 13 "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say: 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask, 'What is his name?, then what should I tell them?"
#3 Chpt. 4, verse 1 "What if they don't believe me or listen to me?"
#4 v. 10 Moses said, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent. . . .I am slow of speech and tongue."
#5 v. 13 This is what Moses has been getting at all along - "O Lord, please send someone else."
I am SO there! How many times has the Lord called me to do something I'd rather not, and instead of being like Isaiah, I've pulled a "Moses" and said, "Send someone else - like her, or maybe her. I'm not your woman! I can't do that! I'm too quiet, too old, I don't think fast on my feet, I'm so NOT a leader, etc., etc."
Maybe you know what that feels like, maybe you're there right now. The Lord is asking you to say, "Here am I, send me" - to take a risk, to step out of your comfort zone to serve Him - and there is far more Moses in you than Isaiah! Maybe you're ticking off your excuses too.
I love God's patience - sometimes called "long-suffering", which seems the better word to apply here. God didn't let Moses off the hook, instead He exercised His long suffering nature while meeting every single one of Moses' excuses with a promise.
#1 To Moses, "Who am I (but a backwoods shepherd)?", God said, "I will be with you." Wow, Moses might not have had what it takes, but God DID, and He was going to be with Moses every step of the way. Moses may have been a nobody, but with God at His side, Moses was going to be a force to be reckoned with!
#2 To Moses: "What if I go to the Israelites and they ask me your name? What do I tell them?" God revealed Himself as "I AM", the self-existent One, the God who would keep His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that Israel would be delivered after her 400 year bondage and inherit the land He'd promised. Whatever Moses or the Israelites needed, God would provide based on His promise and the unchanging nature of His character.
#3 To Moses: "What if they do not believe in me or listen to me?", the Lord promised His power demonstrated through Moses staff which became a snake. Moses may not have had the power to convince them, but God did!
#4 To Moses: "I have never been eloquent," God said: "Who gave man his mouth? Now GO, I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." Moses wouldn't have to worry about what he was going to say or how he was going to say it, God would take care of all that.
#5 When Moses gave his final excuse, "Send someone else,", God got angry, but he didn't let Moses off the hook, He wasn't going to send someone else, but He would provide Aaron to come alongside Moses.
Are you making any excuses for why YOU can't go where God is leading?
Whatever they are, the God who spoke to Moses and met His every excuse, would say the same to you:
1 Corinthians 1:26- 31 I don't always call the somebodies: the influential, the noble, the wise, the wealthy, the intellectual elite. I choose those the world might call foolish so that I'm the One who gets the glory. That's the God who will be with you.
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is also YOUR God. He keeps His promises to His people. The great I AM will provide for you all you will need to serve Him as He did for Moses. He does not change.
John 14:26-27 Jesus said: "The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." Are you afraid of what you'll say and do when you get where God wants you to go? He's given you His Holy Spirit to fill you with His peace and give you all the instruction, words, and power you will need to do what He has called you to do. Count on it!
Do you really want to be let off the hook, or do you want to experience the joy and satisfaction and spiritual fruit that comes with obedience to the Father's call?
Say yes FIRST, like Isaiah, leave the details of your assignment to God, and watch Him work on your behalf - for His glory and the good of His kingdom!
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