Exodus 17:11

How many times has this happened to you? You are reading a story that you've read dozens of times in your life, maybe even taught it once or twice - and a word or a phrase jumps out at you that speaks to an ache in your heart or a circumstance you're struggling with. This happened to me tonight in Ladies Bible class. We've been studying the names of God and it has been so good. The name we were learning about tonight was YHVH Nissi. The Lord Is My Banner. The text for this is Exodus 17. Joshua and the Israelites are doing battle with the Amalekites. Moses called Joshua to him the night before and said to him, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands." So Joshua did what Moses told him to. And Moses, Aaron and Hur climbed to the top of the hill. Moses was acting as the banner of the Lord on top of that hill. As long as he was able to hold his hands up the army of God won. When he lowered them, they lost ground.

How long can you hold your hands up? After a while your shoulders start to ache and then your hands get numb. Eventually your arms start to tremble and it becomes impossible to hold them up any longer. Moses held the staff of God in his hands and kept them raised for the army to see. As long as they knew he was there and they could see the staff of God they were conquerers. There's a lesson right there, isn't there? But that's not where I'm going. What happened when his arms got tired and he couldn't hold them up any more? This is what it says, "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." Aaron and Hur sat Moses down on a rock and they held his hands up. It didn't matter how the staff was made visible - just that it WAS made visible.

Ministry is tough. It's discouraging and frustrating and many times it's painful. You have to figure out how to develop thick skin and still keep a tender heart. You have to be like the burning bush - on fire all the time without burning up (or out).

I know that God has called us to this life of ministry and has put us in this place at this time for His own reasons. Our greatest desire is to keep his staff held out for His army to see and to take courage from. But lately I've felt a kind of empty sadness - a need or a longing for something I couldn't identify. I've tried to pray about it but it's been strange to not be able to tell Him exactly what I was feeling. (I'm so happy He knew anyway!) Tonight through a beautiful serendipity He showed me what to pray for. This story that I've known and taught and loved - and overlooked. God is my banner. As long as I keep my eyes on Him I'm winning. That is the main truth of this story. But here is my heart: Aaron and Hur. Aaron and Hur. How desperately all of us in ministry need them! And what a profound blessing when they come to us, stand by our side, let us sit down for a while and hold up our hands while we wait for the sun to set.