Life brings challenges, difficulties, and, at times, heartbreak. When these times arise in our lives, we often feel unsteady and weak. One of the greatest gifts God gives us during these times is our community of followers of Christ who will walk with us and carry us through these times. He also gives us the gift of walking alongside others and carrying them when they face difficulties.
Moses learned the importance of living life in community to help hold him and support him in Exodus 17. This chapter of Exodus finds the Israelites being attacked by some of their enemies, the Amalekites. In response to this attack, Moses instructed Joshua, another leader among the Israelites, to gather together men to fight the Amalekite army. He promised that he would stand up on top of a hill and hold his staff up while they fought. The next day, the Israelites fought the Amalekites, and as long as Moses held up his staff, “the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage” (verse 11). Eventually, Moses’ arms were tired, and he could not hold the staff up anymore (verse 12). Seeing this, Aaron and Hur came to Moses’ side. They “found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands” (verse 12). Scripture records that Moses’ “hands held study until sunset” and the Israelites defeated the Amalekites (verses 12-13). Do not miss the lesson found in this passage of Scripture: we need community to support us when we are tired and feel weak.
Moses supported the Israelite army by holding up his staff. Aaron and Hur supported Moses by lifting his hands and staff up when he could no longer lift his hands. What does the support of your Christian community look like today? How have your friends who are Christ-followers supported you when you were tired? How can you be a support to others today? What a gift we have in Christian community!
Who has God placed in your life who helped carry you through difficult times? Name each of them. After thinking through who these people are, pray a prayer of thanksgiving to God for them. Thank Him for the community of Christ followers He has given you to walk through this life with. Ask Him to give you eyes to see the needs around you so that you can walk alongside others in their struggles as well.
8 While the people of Israel were still at Rephidim, the warriors of Amalek attacked them. 9 Moses commanded Joshua, “Choose some men to go out and fight the army of Amalek for us. Tomorrow, I will stand at the top of the hill, holding the staff of God in my hand.”
10 So Joshua did what Moses had commanded and fought the army of Amalek. Meanwhile, Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of a nearby hill. 11 As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage. 12 Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset. 13 As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek in battle.
14 After the victory, the Lord instructed Moses, “Write this down on a scroll as a permanent reminder, and read it aloud to Joshua: I will erase the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” 15 Moses built an altar there and named it Yahweh-Nissi (which means “the Lord is my banner”). 16 He said, “They have raised their fist against the Lord’s throne, so now the Lord will be at war with Amalek generation after generation.”
