Wednesdays with Moses

Read Exodus 17:8-13 – Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said to Joshua, “Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. (NKJV)

Interesting battle strategy, isn’t it? Aaron and Hur recognize that keeping Moses’ arms in the air is the difference between victory and defeat, so they take up the task of keeping their leaders arms raised toward heaven. One wonders how our battles would go if, as leaders, we kept our arms lifted toward heaven. No, the physical posture isn’t really the point, and it’s certainly not some magical way to gain victory, but keeping our focus on God and finding ways to demonstrate that dependency sure looks like a good idea, doesn’t it? Too often, our focus is on our own hand-to-hand combat with trouble, when the view from a bit higher might reveal that our connection with God is where battles are truly won. This story ought to cause each of us to take a few steps back from our current struggles and set our gaze in a new direction.

– Dr. Mike Clarensau serves as Senior Director of the Healthy Church Network of the Assemblies of God.