Biblical Wimps...I mean Biblical Heroes!

Have you ever read about a prophet in the Old Testament or a disciple in the New Testament and said "Wow, I could never do that!" or "Wow, he is a very godly man...I wish I were like that!" Maybe you are like me and you almost presumed that they were born for their role, they knew it from the time they were a very small child and were in training all along to fulfill that role.

I have been bouncing around a lot with my Bible reading. I have been in Genesis, Joshua, Isaiah, Matthew, I Thessalonians, etc., etc. As I have read about some of these incredible men the thought above was rolling around in my head. However, the more I read the more I realized these men may have been born for these tasks and yes God was preparing them for what He wanted them to do but I do not think these guys knew it all along and I do not think they had the attitude of "Well it's about time Lord, I have been waiting on you to send me off!" Quite the contrary. Look at what some of the great men of the faith said when they found out what God called them to do:

Moses

Exodus 3: 7-11 - 7 The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

Exodus 4: 10-13 - 10 Moses said to the LORD, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”

11 The LORD said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

13 But Moses said, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.”

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 1: 4-6 - 4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying,
5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

6 “Ah, Sovereign LORD,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.”

Jonah

Jonah 1: 1-3 - 1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
3 But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.

And on and on and on they go. Great men of God who look like wimps in the beginning. Great men of God who were terrified of doing what God wanted them to do. Great men of God who finally submitted to God's will and plan for their lives and ended up becoming what we might call Heroes of the faith. They did not start out this way, they almost went into it kicking and screaming. But because they ultimately submitted to what God called them to do He did an amazing work in their life. It was not based on who they were but on who God is.

So where are you in the process. Are you trying to convince God that He picked the wrong person for the job, are you listing the reasons why you cannot be the one to do what He has called you to do or have you finally realized that He does what He says He does:

I Corinthians 1: 26-31 - 26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

He knows you better than you know yourself and He did not pick the wrong person. Give in and get going!