…Aaron and Hur held up [Moses’] hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady… Exodus 17:12b
Read Exodus 17:8-16
How do you recharge? After a long day or week of work how do you replenish your strength? Do you recharge being around people? Or you do you recharge by sipping a cup a tea by yourself? Both of these practices recharge us. One involves the spiritual discipline of fellowship and the other solitude. Both of these practices remind us of God’s pronouncement, “It is not good that the man should be alone.” (Gen. 2:18).
We were built for fellowship. The purpose of fellowship is to feed us spiritually, emotionally and socially. God designed the very getting together of His people on Sunday so that we do not have to travel this life alone spiritually. An intentional day of rest is only rest when it is right ordered worship.
Moses and the people of Israel are now sojourning in the wilderness of Sinai. A wilderness is a place of solitude. It is a place bereft of even the basics for sustenance. The wilderness and solitude remind us that we need more than ourselves to live and thrive.
Moses and Israel are faced with the implacable enemy of Amalek. Israel attempts to fight in their strength. Their efforts are feeble struggles at best. The only way to survive is acknowledge that they do not need to face their struggles alone. God instructs Moses to raise his hands to Him. Raised hands show that we come empty handed in surrender. It is an internationally recognised symbol of surrender. God surrounds Moses with able helpers such as Aaron, Hur, Miriam, and Jethro just to list a few.
When Moses’ hands become weak Aaron and Joshua strengthen him. It is in weakness that the Helper comes. It is in weakness that we receive the Helper. We were built for community. We were built for Pentecost. As the hymn-writer William Booth put it, “Make our weak hearts strong and brave, Send the Fire!”
Today pray:
Father, I thank you that your Son faced the ultimate loneliness in the Wilderness of the Cross so that I could be brought into fellowship and strengthened. Thank your for the gift of your Church that I do not have to travel this world alone. Thank you for the gift of your Spirit ‘who helps us in our weakness.” May I live in community that reflects love, the essence of fellowship. May this reflect your very nature as Trinity: Love.
Amen