Take A Seat

“Along 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.” Exodus 17:11.

If you have never read the story of the Israelites fighting against the Amalekites in this chapter you will be blessed to read verses 8-15.  There are so many principles practiced on the top of the hill that day.  Moses was their warrior and leader as they depended on his spiritual and physical strength.  We must remember that Moses didn’t lead the children of God out of Egypt until he was over 80 years old.  By the time this battle was fought he was certainly a very old man.  He knew that his part in the battle was not to fight but to pray.  His faithfulness and determination in holding up his arms in prayer and supplication to God was matched by his humility when he could no longer do it without the assistance of others.  It is written that not only was he offered a stone to rest but he accepted that offer.  Moses was accustomed to being the one who provided…who did for…who led.  But just like each of us there came a time when he had to accept the help of others if he wanted success.

There is nothing more uncomfortable for many of us than to acknowledge that we need help and actually accept it.  There will be times in our lives when we are lifting the arms of someone else as they go through their battles.  But there will come a day for all of us when we must humble ourselves and admit that we cannot do it all…be it all…accomplish it all without the help and hands of others.  It takes a humble heart to receive help from the Body of Christ.  I don’t know why we associate receiving help with weakness but it can certainly feel that way to me.  During the ministry of Christ, He went from home to home, meal to meal and kindness to kindness.  He understood that to turn down the kindness of others would deny them of the joy that it would bring them, not to mention the blessings it afforded Him.  God set up His church as a complete Body, not a complete person.  ‘But God has combined the members of the body…but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it’ 1 Co. 12:24-26. 

May we always look for ways to hold up the arms of others but recognize when we need to take our seat and receive the help of others.