I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 1 Timothy 4:7Do you ever feel like you have fought the good fight and you are ready to stop fighting? Rise up! Moses had to have arm-bearers. Even Jesus had his team and we need ours. No one can do it all by herself, no matter how strong we think we are. Look back to the Old Testament:
Adam needed Eve.
Moses needed Aaron.
Joshua had a friend in Caleb.
David had Jonathan.
Naomi had Ruth.
I could go through the whole Bible and name off all those who needed a partner in God's plan. The fact is, we have Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Father God on our side. He is here to help us through whatever we are going through. He also gives us friends and co-workers to help us get through a project or problem successfully. We do not need to give up on ourselves; we can give it up to God.
So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As 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. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. Exodus 17:10-13We need to surround ourselves with people who will hold us up when we are weak in the battle, that we may stand strong for those who need us to be strong. Aaron and Hur held Moses up as long as the army needed to see him. Sometimes we need to appear strong for our friends; we need to stand so that they will know we are there for them. Sometimes we need a friend who is there to lean on, to have support from our friend until the end of whatever struggle we may be going through.
We need to be able to be humble enough to ask for help. Moses tried and tried, but kept growing tired. Aaron stepped up and took Hur with him to give him a hand. Two things really stand out to me: 1. Moses needed the help. 2. Aaron and Hur were there for him. God knew they were available so He sent them to Moses.
Moses did his best and left the rest to God. He did what he knew to do. God sent a team to keep him up, to push on to the end of the job. When Moses left this world, the team pressed on without him. Joshua took the lead. He brought the army of God and the twelve tribes of Israel to their land following the vision God had given Moses. Though Moses could not go on to live the vision, God brought him to the edge and set up a team to work the job the way it was planned.
Sometimes we have to pass the staff to someone else. Or like Elijah with Elisha, pass the mantle on.
So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him. 1 Kings 19:19Elisha was working at his job when the mantle was tossed onto him. He did not go seeking for it, but he did accept it. When he realized what God could do he asked for a double portion!
When God has a plan he will carry it through, whether with you or the person he sends after you. The race will be run; it will be completed. Think of it like a relay race. Pass the baton on to the next runner that they may pass it on to the next. Sometimes we want to hold on to a job or position and stay where we stood last year, even when we are not getting anywhere. If God moves us, we need to go. We need to trust that He will direct our path.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for sending us helpers who will get the job done. Thank you for teams that work together to complete the task. Thank you for directing our paths; we know that things will work together for good. We love you Lord. In Jesus' name, amen.
Suggested readings: Hebrews 12:1-29; 2 Timothy 4:1-22; 1 Timothy 6:1-21; Joshua 10:1-33; Proverbs 3:1-35.