Exodus 17 8-13 – “Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, ‘Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.’ So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. 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. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.”
Once during a time of extended prayer at a gathering of worshipers, intercessors, and artists, I felt God ask me to walk across the front of the room, using a stick as a staff. However, I felt the Lord say to not use the stick as a cane. He wasn’t just asking me to walk across the front once, no. He was asking me to walk back and forth throughout a worship song called, “Lead On”. I find it difficult to walk at the best of times. The activities of the 3-day event were taking a toll on me. But, it was one of those “Is That Really You, God?” moments that Loren Cunningham of Youth With A Mission speaks of. I knew God was leading me and out of obedience, I found a suitable stick and began walking.
After only a couple times going back and forth, I was sweating bullets, and every muscle in my body screamed, “Stop, it’s not worth it, you aren’t making any difference! You’re making a spectacle of yourself.” As I am a rather private person, displaying my weakness in such a public forum added to my discomfort. I knew I had to keep walking, and I knew I couldn’t do it by myself. And so, I reached out for help.
I spotted a friend and headed her way. When I quickly explained what I felt led to do, she startled. She doesn’t enjoy being in the spotlight either, and she looked around for someone else to help me. No one else was there. And so, she took a deep breath, stepped out, and walked beside me. Our arms linked together. With her help, and with the staff in my hand, I kept walking until the end of the song.
When I returned to my seat, I immediately asked God, “What was that all about?” His reply came quickly. My wobbly yet determined march across the front of the gymnasium was a picture of the Church. When we are at our weakest, God often calls us to walk in obedience, pushing us past the limits of our natural strengths and talents and to a place that we must fully lean on him. In that place of vulnerability, God urges us to keep walking until he tells us to stop and to keep reaching out to others when we need help to complete the task he set before us.
When things get dark, and there seems to be no light on the horizon, hold on. When you think your grasp is about to slip, hold on. When your insides are raw and blistered from holding on, hold on. God hears your shout for help and your resigned whimper of despair, He is on His way, hold on!
Personal Application
Moses was not a young man when he stood on the mountain the day of the battle. There was already heavy weight on his shoulders. Leading a nation of former slaves across a desert, none of whom had any idea how to be responsible for themselves, was not an easy task. And now, he had to lead them into battle. Without the aid of his trusted friends, Moses’ physical limitations would have caused Israel to lose the battle. We need each other, even leaders need encouragement, support and assistance in the heat of battle.
As you read this devotion, did you feel a sudden urge to pray for a friend, an intercessor, or a beloved pastor? If so, take a step of obedience and do so. Perhaps everything appears to be going well in their world, but that urge won’t go away. Trust God and take the risk. He calls us to walk along those in need, even if we think we are of little consequence to others. We are all called to be carriers of his hope. You never know what battle they are waging on behalf of others. Your arms supporting their arms raised in intercession can turn the tide.
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All Bible verses attributed to the ESV version unless otherwise indicated.
Until Next Week,
©2019 Katherine Walden
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