Please Send Someone Else

Observe the shape of the exchange. Moses has already asked Who am I and What is your name. Now, in chapter 4, he says the people will not believe him, and God gives him three signs: the staff that becomes a snake, the hand that turns leprous and is healed, the water that will turn to blood. Moses says he has never been eloquent and is slow of speech. God replies that he made the human mouth, and that he will help Moses speak and teach him what to say. Then Moses simply asks God to send someone else. At that point, the text says, the LORD's anger burned against Moses, and yet the answer is still provision: Aaron is already on his way, and he can speak.

Interpreting this, we should not make Moses a coward. His objections are honest and some are reasonable. The point is that God does not reject any of them out of hand; he answers them. Only the last, which is not an objection at all but a refusal dressed as humility, provokes anger. And even then God does not withdraw the call. He adds a brother.

Applying it, we should be honest about our reluctance and bring it to God rather than pretend to a confidence we do not have. We should also notice that God's response to our weakness is often another person. Aaron was not a punishment. He was the answer.

Which of Moses' five objections sounds most like yours? Is there a point where honest hesitation has turned into a plain no? And who might God have already sent to walk beside you?