When God told Moses he wanted him to go to Pharaoh (Exodus 3 & 4), the aged shepherd offered several excuses. First, he resisted on the basis that he was a nobody and that he did not even know God’s name. Then he argued that the Israelites would not believe him, and that he was not a good speaker.

I am surprised that Moses did not try to decline because of his age. After all, the man was 80 years old. Wowser.

Had Moses asked God how long this task would take, what would God have told him? There could have been two answers for that. One being 40 years and the other answer would have been the rest of his life. Hmmm. rather ominous, don’t you think?

The Israelites themselves had come from a man God called when he was 75 years old. But wait, that man, Abraham, was 100 years old when God actually fulfilled his promise to him to give him & Sarah a son. Hmph. No big deal. Sarah was 90 at the boy’s birth and had previously been barren!

What of Noah? He of course started on the front side of the flood when folks lived longer. Though it is not clear exactly when God called him, Noah was 500 years old when he had his boys and 600 when the flood came. This was long before social security.

Moving way forward in time we see Jesus’ ministry being preceded by his cousin John. John was born to a priest named Zacharias & his wife Elizabeth. Luke tells us they were both advanced in age (that means old), and that Elizabeth had never been able to have a child. But, have a child she did and Jesus himself said there had never been one like John (Matthew 11:11).

Noah likely wasn’t expecting God’s call. Abraham did not seem to expect it. Moses not only did not expect it but wanted to refuse it. Zacharias was made unable to speak because he did not at first believe his call.

What will I do today if God puts a great work in front of me? What will you do?