Devotional | Holding up your hands

So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill.  As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.  When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.
Exodus 17:10-13 (NIV)

I love this passage from the Old Testament. It shows the fragility of Moses the great man of faith. His people are under attack, and he is called to uphold them. But he cannot last the length of the battle.

Are you in a battle right now? Do you feel like you do not have the strength to sustain yourself through it? We all go through hard times; we all have times when we don’t feel we have the stamina to get through.

In this story of Moses, I love the picture of community. Moses is not called to stand alone, though he tries for a time. For when he gets weary, Aaron and Hur come alongside him. They place a stone under him, and they support him.

Recently my family have seen the truth of this image. We have been in the midst of hardship and have not felt like we could get through by ourselves. We have had family and friends come alongside us and support us in prayer. Like Moses, they have helped us rest on the rock of Jesus and have held up our hands, when we felt we no longer had strength.

Who are your community that support you in hard times? Who are the people that lift you up in prayer when you no longer have strength on your own? Who helps you rest in the arms of your Father and intercedes on your behalf?

These people are gold, they are heroes of the faith. For they stand with you amid the battle, not trying to fight it for you, but as a support. Knowing the battle is yours to fight, knowing they couldn’t take that burden away, but uplifting you in the midst of it.

I don’t know your circumstances; we all have our own difficulties in life. But I pray, that no matter what battle you are facing you have people holding your hands steady, until the sun goes down and the battle is won.

Peace be with you,
Jodie

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  • Jodie McCarthy

    Jodie is a contemplative writer who writes to encourage those in the hard places of grief and loss, and the more mundane places of the everyday. Married for over twenty years with two daughters, Jodie’s life is full, yet she still finds time to procrastibake. Jodie loves to connect with her readers, and you can find her at the links below.

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Published by Jodie McCarthy

Jodie is a contemplative writer who writes to encourage those in the hard places of grief and loss, and the more mundane places of the everyday. Married for over twenty years with two daughters, Jodie’s life is full, yet she still finds time to procrastibake. Jodie loves to connect with her readers, and you can find her at the links below.

6 replies on “Devotional | Holding up your hands”

  1. Beautiful thoughts, Jodie. I particularly appreciate your comments about community. We weren’t meant to endure difficult times alone! Truly, being in a community of support makes all the difference.

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