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 17:12 (NIV)
The Children of Israel had their fair share of battles (many of them self-initiated), but as they passed through the wilderness, they encountered the fierce Amalekites. The enemy was engaged, and, as Moses stood on the mountainside overlooking the battle, he discovered that as long as he held up his hands, the Israelites prevailed. But after standing a long time, he grew weary, and his arms began to sag. That’s when his helpers, Aaron and Hur, stepped in, brought a stone for him to sit on, and held up his hands. The Israelites won the battle.
We all need those Aarons and Hurs in our lives, those people who love us enough to hold our hands when we’re weary from the conflicts in our lives. They are already there if we’ll only open our eyes. God noted from the very beginning that it’s not good for us to be alone—that we need helpers (Gen. 2:18). But in our individualized culture, we’re taught from birth that we must be self-reliant, and we begin to feel guilty when we reach out for help.
We build walls around ourselves, and our pride (We call it independence.) blinds us to the caring that waits to be accessed. We say that we don’t want to be a bother to anyone when, in truth, we are all interdependent. “No man is an island, entire of itself.” (Donne)
Let down the barriers. It won’t be long until you’ll have the opportunity to be the help someone else needs.
Father, you told us to bear one another’s burdens. We forget that our brothers and sisters are there for us when we need them. Give us courage to allow you to help us through them. In Jesus our Lord. AMEN.
agodforeveryday 