#63 Who is Hur and Aaron? "Thoughts from the Back Deck..."

Recovery from my shoulder surgery has taught me a few things. When therapy started, the therapist had to repeatedly remind me as I did my stretches, that my left arm needed to do all the work while my right arm did nothing but get stretched out. As I pushed up a cane with my left hand, my right hand weakly hung to the cane. 

As we live out our faith as Christians, we get the privilege to sometimes stand beside a person and walk with them through difficult times. We get the chance to lift a burden while they take from our strength. Also, as Christians, we sometimes have someone walk with us through difficult times. They do the lifting while we hang onto them.

Examples: praying. Speaking encouragement. Financial. Listening. Cards. Gift of time. Sharing wisdom learned. A phone call. A text. A joke and a smile... To name a few.

This is not something new. This is not something we created, or we thought would be nice to do. It's something the Lord placed before us, spoke into our hearts, and has called us to do.

Exodus 17:12 "When Moses' arms grew tired, Aaron and Hur brought a stone for him to sit on, while they stood beside him and held up his arms, holding them steady until the sun went down."

Moses led the people for +/- 40 years through all kinds of troubles. Pharaoh and his chariots. Snakes. Descension in the ranks. Grumblings. Open rebellion against God.

Moses was a pillar, a teacher of God's will and how to worship and live life with God. He stood between God and the people as a sort of moderator or mediator.

Imagine the people looking up to Moses during a battle- combatants and non-combatants, seeing the guy they counted on growing tired and yet how he accepted help from others and the message that communicated to them... To us! 

The Lord could have taken care of the battle on His own without the need of Moses to keep his arms raised up, holding that staff for all to see. 

The Lord could have handled the problem without a battle even being waged like He did with Pharaoh's chariots. 

This event was a faith builder for Moses, Aaron, Hur, all the people who saw that day, and we who read of this event in the book of Exodus today. 

It is essential to be with and allow others to be with us during life's hills and valleys. 

Yet there was one battle that had to be faced alone. The crucifixion is different. There, Jesus went alone. His disciples abandoned him. His Father even left him. He alone went to the cross to suffer and die for our sins. He did this for us so we would never have to bear a cross alone. Ever, Never...alone!!!

For Jesus is with you and me through whatever valleys or mountains lay before us. 
He never grows tired. He never leaves. He needs no help. He won the battle for us before the war ever started.

By the way... Thanks for being my "Hur and Aaron"! 

Peace out, 
Andy
stpaullakeland.org

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