“…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. And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.” – Exodus 17:12-14
These past few weeks have been rough. Filled with exhaustion, sickness, tiredness, and well, you name it. When Jamie and I read the Scripture above we were encouraged. Moses was tired and exhausted and basically had to sit down all day- he even needed help doing that as he held up God’s staff. Meanwhile Joshua was on the battlefield defeating Amalek. It would be tempting to view Moses as an old man on a stone-bench taking a breather- to see him as unconnected from what was happening down below. However the Scripture ties what Moses was doing to the victory Joshua experienced.
I suppose the picture of the scene still appears ridiculous- almost suggesting the power of God was not operating unless the staff was lifted up (Moses made sure to keep that staff up). But perhaps this is a great passage illustrating the power of prayer…at first prayer does seem somewhat ridiculous: that it can affect such powerful things around us while we do…wha?Sit or kneel and ask God? However, this is what God has ordained, like the staff, as our means of serving our brothers and sisters in Christ. Therefore, let’s make every effort to intercede for one another and ask for one another’s help to pray!
Who is holding you up in prayer? What stories do you have of God coming through in ridiculous ways? Who needs your prayers?
