But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. Exodus 17:12
Hold Others Up
Do you feel weary? Growing weary seems like a chronic condition these days, but it is not a new thing.
The Backstory
The children of Israel are at Rephidim and the Amalek people come and start fighting with the Israelites. The battle is happening down in a valley. Moses sends Joshua with some warriors to war against the Amalek. Moses goes up onto a hill above the valley with his brother Aaron and a leader named Hur.
Look Up
The men fighting could look up and see these heads of their community and see their support.
Do you ever wish you had someone in life that you could look up to when you feel like you are in the middle of the battle?
Hands up = Victory
While up there, I’m sure that Moses, Aaron, and Hur were praying for the deliverance and success of their people.
Moses would lift his arms to heaven. When his arms were up, the Israelites would be winning the battle. Then, when Moses’ arms got tired and his arms fell, the tide would turn and the Amalekites would start prevailing.
The Solution
The solution was to work together. Moses needed support and help to keep his arms in the air.
Come Alongside
Aaron came to one side of Moses and Hur got on the other side. Each of them helped to hold up one of Moses’ arms.
There are days when I need someone to come alongside me and help me lift my arms.
Hold Others Up
Yet, there are other days where I need to hold others up. Those days I often get caught up in my own concerns and forget to look around me and see who needs support and a lift of their arms.
Practical Holding Up
How do we hold others up in a practical way? It is easy to talk about metaphorically about holding others arms up, but how do you actually do it?
Well, it is different depending on who needs support.
A new mother might need a meal, a hug, to be told that she is doing a good job, a listening ear, or babysitting so she can take a nap (or a shower!).
A widow might need to be taken out to dinner or a ride to church or help with shopping.
Your coworker might need a friendly face, hope in the face of terrible circumstances, a lunch buddy, or to trade babysitting services.
Is someone at your church sick and in need of help with shopping or meals? Do you have a neighbor who could use help with household or yard work?
Time. Talent. Money.
There are so many ways we can hold others up. Sometimes we are the ones who are weary and need holding up. Other times we are the ones who need to hold others up who are growing weary.
Action Step:
Our focus today is GIVING TO OTHERS!
Giving to Others: Offering our money, time, or talents to help those in need. Finding some way to enrich the lives of others and think of other people rather than yourself.
Look around you. Who do you see around you that is growing weary? How can you hold them up today? Think of it and take action on it.
Prayer:
Dear God, strengthen us to give to others. Help us to see those who need holding up and take action today. Show us creative ways to give of our time, talent, and money to others. In Jesus’ name, amen.
