“Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset.” Exodus 17:11-12 (NLT)
This was Joshua’s first mission. His assignment was to fight the Amalekites. Winning was crucial for the Israelites. At this early point in their journey, any excuse to lay down their weapons and turn tail would have sufficed. So Joshua gathered a group of warriors and went up against their adversary.
At first it appeared they would quickly annihilate their enemy. While Joshua and his men were in the thick of the battle, Moses watched from a hilltop. As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. Unfortunately, Moses’ arms soon grew tired, so he lowered them. The tables turned in favor of the Amalekites. So Aaron and Hur sat Moses on a rock, stood on each side of their leader, and held his arms steady until sunset. As a result, Joshua and his men overwhelmed the Amalekites and won the battle.
I’ll admit, I’m not very good at asking for help. I fear I’ll be a bother to others if I admit I’m overwhelmed, so I try to carry on in my own strength. Then, suddenly, I discover I can’t hold my arms up any longer because I’m so weary and the burden is too heavy to carry alone.
Truth is, we were not created to fight life’s battles on our own. It is not biblical to assume that we need to face our struggles on our own. Self-sufficiency robs others of the opportunity to pray, minister, and show Christ’s love. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness or incompetence. Was Joshua any less of a warrior when he needed Moses’ help? Was Moses any less of a leader because he needed Aaron and Hur? No. Likewise, we should never think any less of ourselves for asking others to help in our time of need.
God calls the members of his body to care for one another so that we might strengthen our bond as brothers and sisters in Christ. It’s in uniting against a common enemy that battles are won.
Thought: “At some point we need more than good advice; we need help.” – Max Lucado