SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1132

“Send Someone Else”

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

Moses has just been called by God to go to Egypt and lead the nation of Israel out of captivity. Moses began with excuses why he was not the one for this assignment, ‘Who am I?’, ‘They won’t listen to me’, ‘I am slow of speech’. For each excuse, God provided a solution. Finally, Moses sees that excuses won’t win the day so he says ‘Please send someone else’.

Moses had spent the past 40 years as a shepherd in Midian after fleeing Egypt. He is married with children and has become comfortable and accustomed to this life. The Lord’s call upon his life is disruptive and Moses resists, first with excuses then with the root of the matter – he does not want to go. Can you and I relate to what Moses was feeling?

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. – Romans 12:1

It has been said that the problem with living sacrifices is that they tend to crawl off of the altar. How about you and me? We most likely have not had a burning bush encounter with God such as Moses had, but surely God has called us to sacrifice and to service in one form or another. Is God’s calling disruptive to our life? How do we respond to His call?

Perhaps God has ordained ‘divine appointments’ for you giving you an opportunity to minister to others’ needs in His Name with His love. Did you withhold good and ask Him to send someone else or did you respond to the Holy Spirit’s call to action?

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you; For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me…‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these… you did it to me.’ Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. – John 15:12; Matthew 25:35-40; Proverbs 3:27

Another divine appointment could be to share your testimony and the Gospel truth of Jesus to someone in need of salvation. Were you ashamed or fearful and asked God to send someone else? Are you OK with rocks doing what you were called to do?

For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels; I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out. – Mark 8:38; Luke 19:36-40

God may be asking you to care and provide for aging parents. Will you make the sacrifice or ask Him to send someone else?

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith; But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. – Galatians 6:10; 1 Timothy 5:8

May the Holy Spirit equip you and empower you to answer God’s call and divine appointments with:

Here am I, send me. – Isaiah 6:8