Helping (Heavy) Hands

I really love reading this passage of scripture - it always challenges me.

Exodus 17:10-14 - ¹⁰So Joshua did as Moses said and fought with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the hilltop.¹¹ When Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and when he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. ¹² But Moses’ hands were heavy and grew weary. So [the other men] took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Then Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side and one on the other side; so his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. (Amplified)

Each time I read this, though it's easier to, I rarely think about others - I think about myself.
I challenge myself to be Aaron and Hur on the hilltop all the time. Note that I didn't say that I want to be Aaron always... because we know that Aaron led the people to sin later (see Ex 32) and even spoke against Moses (see Num 12:1-11). Nor do I want to be Hur because the only other time I see him mentioned in the Bible was as Bezaleel's grandfather (see Ex 31:2) - which makes me wonder if this was the first and last time he helped Moses.

This passage is particularly important for me because as Mrs. Pastor, I have insider information on when my husband's hands are getting heavy even if he doesn't want to admit it and of course know when mine are too. I'm already my husband's help-meet - so I do my part to help him but it's easy to wonder why others are not stepping up to help. Infact when all that happens, I move beyond wondering about others to reconsider all that I'm doing to help. I've come to realize that sometimes the best way to help heavy hands - my husband's or mine - is to scale back on all we're doing.

 

Sometimes we actually get weary because we're doing too much - yes more than God has asked us to or even gone ahead to do things without God telling us to. In the passage above, we know that God commanded Moses to go to the hilltop and hold up his hands. Moses was clear on what he needed to do. Aaron and Hur were also clear on what Moses needed to do so it was "easier" for them to support him and help him achieve it. They used their hands to help, not hurt Moses. May God help us and our husbands to be clear on what He wants us to do and use our hands "helpfully." God always sends help for heavy hands...doing His will.