Friday 17 June 2011

Aaron and Hur


Exodus 17:8-16 has to be one of my most favourite passages in the Bible and I have been thinking about it a lot recently...:

"So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 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. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword."

This is a really small verse in the Bible, but in my head, it just means so much and it has been a massive part of my journey this year. It's got nothing to do with the fight, but everything to do with the actions.

Sometimes I think when we read verses in the Bible, our reaction is a bit like "aww that's nice" and then we sort of move onto the next one, without even realising the impact of what is said - I think this verse is probably one of those verses.

Have you ever tried to hold both your hands up for a long period of time? Well after reading this passage, I gave it a go and I think I gave up after 10 minutes and 38 seconds - not a particularly long period of time - but it actually felt like forever and my arms were still aching for several hours afterwards.

I don't know exactly how long Moses held up his hands for - but I can assure you that it was definitely a lot longer than 10 and a half minutes... and whilst he was holding his hands up to God and keeping his eyes on him, their army were winning the battle. The most incredible part of this passage for me is where 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." When Moses' hands get soo tired and he just doesn't have the strength to hold them up on his own anymore, Aaron and Hur are there to lift them for him, to keep his eyes focused on God and not only does that help Moses, but it also helps Joshua and the army to defeat the Amalekites.

This verse made me think my life and about the fact that through the hardest parts of my life (when I haven't wanted to lift my hands anymore.) - I have had people who have been a constant support and encouragement to me, who have helped me to keep walking forward and keep my eyes fixed on what God is doing and ultimately, to keep winning the fight. They are most definitely my Aaron and my Hur... but who are yours?

Who are the people in your life, that when things get tough, will stand beside you and hold your hands up for you? Who are the people that you can tell absolutely anything to and know that they won't judge you but they will continue to love you and to walk with you?

But also, if you flip reverse all that. Who are or can you be those things to?

Because the comforting thing is that
we weren't created to walk this journey alone, we're not meant to just 'cope' by ourselves. We're supposed to let people in through the barriers and help us through the things that we struggle with... and when we become Aarons and Hurs for others and allow them to do the same for us, then we can all hold each others hands up and win.

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