Careful Negotiations

Scripture: But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.” Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite?" Exodus 4:13-14a

Observation: There is something about the dynamic between God and man when God chooses someone for a task but they are reluctant. It is something baked into the "free will" element of our in-God's-own-image paradigm. When God calls us, he grants us the ability to decide, however at the same time HE has already decided. When we ask to opt out, he gets angry, and sometimes even punishes (let's see ... Moses, the Israelite spies, Jonah, Zechariah, just to name a few off the top of my head). However, he too has made a choice, and he proceeds with his plan. We can eventually definitively say 'no', but that takes us into a much darker place, removed from a right relationship with God.

Application: The most amazing quality of God may be that he is willing to have a true relationship with his flawed, sinful people. That relationship isn't just as lord/master, but as a partner. He will discuss, listen to us ... and sometimes agree. As long as we remain in relationship, he collaborates with us.

Clearly there is a line not to be crossed, and that line is refusal. We - including I - cross that line too often, and that is our sin; our disobedience to his laws. Independent of that, however, we are allowed to discuss our work, tasks, assignments, calling with God, and create a mutual plan.

We must not say "no", but we can say "how about this idea ...".

Prayer: Lord, here I am. Send me! I long for your call and your words. I seek your instruction and direction. I wait in my current place, in my current service, and pray for a renewed call to discuss with you. I will wait patiently and obediently. And when you call, I will probably be afraid and want to negotiate - you know me well enough to know that! Here I am.