can't God just ask someone else?

  

One of my pet peeves about TV shows and movies (now that we're on the subject) concerns the dialogue. 

It irks me when scripts have none of the casual, reactive conversing or life happening that occurs between regular people having an interaction.

To my dismay, no superhero -- before they zoom off to fight to save the galaxy -- ever engages in the necessary chore of first clearing their schedule, or getting someone else to cover their shift at work ("Uh yeah, we were supposed to get together for lunch tomorrow, but now I have this thing I sorta GOTTA go do -- any chance we could move this to another day??").

No one called to a quest in a movie ever has to first:
-double-check when their flight leaves -- 
-fold/put away clean laundry --
-charge their phone --
-empty the dishwasher --
-pack any bags --
-use the bathroom one last time --
-or most importantly, try for awhile to talk their way out of having to do the thing -- 

They're just ready to drop all of life, and get after it.

Yes: I realize I'm nitpicking about ... the realism ... of Hollywood scripts that do this (no one said pet peeves had to be reasonable).

So this is my roundabout way of expressing gratitude for Bible verses such as Exodus 4:13, the one above. The Lord gives Moses this new challenge: he's gotta go corral the Lord's enslaved people and lead them to freedom. Moses has to tell their captors to let them go. Their captors will resist. Moses has no army, no regiment to back him up.

If this were a movie script, Moses might respond by dramatically walking forward, gaze steady. He'd nod, the music would grow with settled determination.

And we'd know that he was committed.

But that's not what happens here. Moses gets to talk it out (today, he'd get labeled a "verbal processor").

Exodus 3-4 recaps the conversation between the Lord and Moses. What can we glean about God from this conversation?

a) It's actually a conversation. The Lord is not one to give an order, and then treat follow-up questions as a lack of faith, insubordination, or a waste of time. 

 

Quite the opposite. 

 

Some of us may have experienced this vibe when receiving tasks from our parents or other authority figures. Our only acceptable response was to listen and obey. We had no space to ask questions, or share input, or protest. That is not how the Lord interacts with Moses.

b) The Lord doesn't dismiss Moses' valid concerns. Moses notes that he lacks skill with public speaking.

Some of us, when we admit insecurities to our friends, can predict their overly-optimistic comeback: "Oh, that's preposterous! You're awesome at [whatever task you suspect you're not awesome at doing]. You're totally gonna do fine!!" And we may feel unheard.

The Lord doesn't try to correct Moses. There's no brushing off the concerns. The Lord says, "I will be with you, and will teach you what to say."

c) Then, the truth. Moses says, "Oh my Lord, please send someone else."

Moses knows the task needs doing, but he'd rather someone else take it.

Be honest: sometimes the Lord calls us (or asks us) to step toward situations we'd rather avoid.

But we gotta go do what the Lord asks us to do.

Don't hear what I'm not saying: I'm not saying that every conflict or every wrong that breezes across your attention span demands you drop what you're doing to intervene. "Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears." -Proverbs 26:17 If it's not our situation, then we should consider the cost of involving ourselves.

And yet ... this was Moses' people, and the Lord gave him this task and situation to fix. There'll be times when the Lord will call you to speak (with love and respect) what needs to be said. Or to do (with love and respect) what needs to be done.

Or to confront (in love and respect) that which you hope goes away on its own.
 

Or to care for (with truth and love) that which you'd rather disdain, or remain indifferent toward.

Or to reach out (in love and respect) when you'd rather stew in your feelings and avoid.

It's understandable to not be wild-enthused about every single thing the Lord may call upon you to do. If you gotta first talk it out with God, by all means, talk it out.

God's clearly OK with talking it out.