Send someone else

But he said, "O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send." - Exodus 4v13

This is such a sad statement. ‘O Lord, please send someone else,’ is heartbreaking to hear. We know that ultimately and eventually Moses is a man of great faith, but that faith did not come without some doubts and fears.

Apparently Moses could just not see himself as able, no matter what God said to him. When he ran out of reasons he finally just asked God to send someone more qualified for the task. ‘Who will I say sent me?’ ‘I am not able to speak.’ ‘What if they don’t believe me?’

God patiently waited for Moses to come around, but when Moses told God to send someone else it angered God.

I am amazed here at God’s patience. He still was not willing to give up on Moses. Moses was after all His man for the job. Instead, God agreed to send Aaron to be the spokesman instead of Moses.

If it were me, and Moses kept on like he did, I would have said something like, ‘Fine Moses, go back and tend Jethro’s sheep.’

But God’s love and grace and mercy and forgiveness extended further that that. He still used Moses in spite of his fears and anxieties.

Moses was a great man of faith. We know that from Hebrews 11.

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command. By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.

I am comforted to know that God can use my faith despite my foolish fears.