Why me?

But Moses said, "Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else."

Exodus 4:13

How many times have you been in a situation where you wished it was happening to anyone but you? There would be nothing better than to wake up and realize it was all a terrible dream. Sometimes you have these feelings because you have found yourself in a bad situation, whether by your doing or not. Other times, like Moses, you feel too much is being asked of you. You are convinced that anyone can do the job better, but for whatever reason, it is falling to you.

I've been there friend, more times than I can count. When God calls us to go, it's hardly ever at a time convenient to us. It also typically involves us doing something completely out of our comfort zones. Last year, one of my good friends, and an amazing worship leader from church, asked if I would be willing to come up during the service and speak. She was very encouraging and told me I could talk about whatever God laid on my heart. I agreed, but initially, I was petrified. I've never considered myself particularly eloquent or the least bit entertaining. Public Speaking was the first course in college that I didn't make an A in, and that's always left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth for the act. I just knew I'd get up there and stumble over my words, turn red from all of the attention, or maybe even freeze up altogether.

Moses experienced many of these same concerns when God told him he would be the one to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses had fled Egypt for a very good reason - murder. He had seen an Egyptian beating a Hebrew and in his anger killed the Egyptian. He tried to hide his sin in the sand, but the next day he saw two Hebrews fighting. When he called out to them to stop, one replied, "Are you going to kill me like you killed that Egyptian?" Moses fled, never looking back.

Needless to say, I don't think Moses ever intended to show his face in Egypt again, much less go in front of Pharaoh and demand the king release his free labor force. They'd kick him out in a heartbeat! So, like a child who forgot his homework, Moses began making every excuse as to why he was the wrong choice.

Moses thought himself too lowly. God said, "I will be with you."

Moses asked who he should say sent him. God said, "I AM. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

Moses wondered what if they don't believe him. God said, "I will make you able to perform great signs."

Moses said he was not eloquent and was slow of speech. God said, "I will help you speak and teach you what to say."

Moses finally pleaded with God to send someone else. God said, "I am sending your brother Aaron, a good speaker, with you; I will help both of you speak and teach you what to do."

Period. God didn't say period, but it reminds me of the parental command we've all heard before. "You're doing what I say, and that's the end of it."

Every single time Moses made an excuse, God made a declaration. He is bigger than anything that could ever hold us back from doing His work. He's bigger than our fears, anxieties, excuses, and mistakes. Just as He did with Moses, he can accomplish amazing world-changing things through those who are willing to answer His call.

So, as the day of my speech neared and I prayed for the Holy Spirit to give me the words to say, I slowly started to get excited. Because you see, this wasn't about me. This was about God. I came to the realization that there was no way that sharing what God had done in my life was going to be a bad thing.

So I boldly walked up the stairs to the stage, warm beneath the spotlights. My husband stood by my side as I recounted what happened the day my twins were born and I had an emergency hysterectomy. I spoke of how God was there in the good and the bad of it. I then told them how one of my sweet nurses crouched beside me that evening and asked whether I had found a home church in this city that I'd only lived in a short while. When I said no, she told me to find them, because they would help me heal from all of the hurt I had experienced that day.

And then I turned to the congregation of loving faces before me and thanked them for helping me heal. Whether they knew it or not, they had led me back to my faith all the while loving on me and my babies like we were their own. I was overwhelmed with emotion after my talk as member after member came up with tears in their eyes, praising God for what He'd done in my life.

God's work can still be done perfectly by an imperfect person. Look at Moses. Look at me. And then look in the mirror, friend. He can use YOU, so don't ask Him to choose someone else.

You can read more about Moses’s interaction with God in Exodus chapters 3 and 4.