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. 

Exodus 17:8-13

Dearest Believer, 

You have most likely heard the popular American phrase, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” But there are times, even the toughest of us get stuck, worn down, or just plain tired with life’s situations. Maybe you have been struggling with a burden for a long time. Maybe you have had a pretty manageable life, but trauma has stopped you in your tracks. Perhaps you are experiencing spiritual attacks one after another.  Maybe you feel alone in your pain. Ashamed. Afraid. Dearest Believer, be encouraged. You are not alone, for He has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”¹ Furthermore, we have been adopted into a family. A family that is to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love…”² 

There are two sides to this relationship. First, we are to bear one another’s burdens. We are to be observant, concerned, and willing members of the body of Christ. Be observant of those around you. Is anyone downcast? Has anyone distanced themselves from the family of God? Be concerned when someone asks for prayer or shares a need. Listen as Christ would listen. Not in judgment, but in mercy and love.  And be willing to do something about it. Pray, check up on them, and help in practical ways. Be present.  Be the arms, feet, and heart of Christ. 

Secondly, we are to let others bear our burdens. It seems in the church that we are ready to help and pray for others, as we should. We know people suffer and go through hard times. But why is it difficult for some of us to share when we also have pain? If we know that others need support, why are some of us so guarded with our own needs? I know I am not the only one that has held secret sins and fears in clenched hands. And when I did, it tormented me. I did feel alone. I did feel ashamed. I was afraid. But God gave me the courage and the discernment to find fellow trusted believers. To allow my burden to be shared. To allow others to hold my hands up when I could not. What a relief. What peace I received when I opened up and shared my struggles. And can continue to share.  

We see in our above passage, that even the great Moses needed a little help. Or a lot of help. The nation of Israel was to fight the Amalekites. He told the people that he would go up the hill with the staff of God in his hand. Scripture says that whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed (17:11). His spirit was willing, but his strength was weak. He held his ground and persevered. But it was Aaron and Hur, used by the Lord, that placed a stone underneath him to ease his aching knees. It was these who came alongside him to hold his hands and staff up high when his physical strength was waning. Not because he didn’t want to, but because he couldn’t. How long was the battle raging on? How long had he already been there? 

When Aaron and Hur came to help him, Moses let them help. He didn’t turn to them and say, “I’m fine” when clearly he was not. By this time in his life, God had taught Moses humility. He did not want the glory for himself, thinking “ I, the great Moses, pulled myself up by my bootstraps and got the job done.”  He understood, by what God had brought him through, that he was not the Prince of Egypt any longer. He was a humble, God-fearing man, leading a young nation, dependant on God, and needing others. 

Could God have given Moses the strength to keep his hands up as long as it had to take? No question. He’s the God who just opened the Red Sea, rained manna from heaven, and made bitter water, sweet. But have you thought of why this scenario (like all parts of Scripture) was placed here? Moses wrote this section of Scripture. He could have left it out as it displayed his human weakness.  But he didn’t. He wrote to teach us. “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Rom.15:4). What is this teaching us? What did God want us to see? We need other believers. We are a body. A unit. When one part is affected negatively, the whole body suffers³. When you are strong, help those who are weak. When you are weak, allow the strong to help you. Each of us will be on both sides of that coin in our lifetime.

Dear friend, we have the privilege of being adopted into a family of love and care. What a gift! What a blessing. God has granted us a beautiful thing. The beauty and power of community. Pray for God to send you those that can be your Aaron and Hur. Pray that you can be someone else’s strength. Then, open up that gift and use it.

The Lord be with you, 

Bianca 

1. Deut.31:6
2. Eph.4:1-2
3. 1 Cor.12:26