Jeremiah. When asked to become a prophet, Jeremiah politely told God no. “I’m too young!” Jeremiah argued (Jeremiah 1:6).

Moses. Prophets had been trying to turn God down since day one, when God called His first spokesman on record-Moses. God asked Moses to go to Egypt and demand that Pharaoh release the Hebrew slaves. “O Lord, I’m just not a good speaker, I never have been, and I’m not now, even after you have spoken to me. I’m clumsy with words” (Exod 4:10).

Jonah. The most explicit rejection of all came from Jonah. Ordered to go to Assyria-in what is now Iraq-and tell the people that their capital would be destroyed in forty days, he didn’t say a word. “Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction” (Jonah 1:3). But one seafaring storm and a large fish later, he was on his way to Assyria