Weekly Update – 19th January
“Ooh I’ll Get By With a Little Help From my Friends”
One of my favourite bands when I was a teenager was called “Wet, Wet, Wet” and the title for our thought for this week was one of my favourite songs. I love the sentiment of friends helping each other and being there getting each other through.
I lost a very dear friend last week when she was unexpectedly called home to be with Jesus. A very strange mixture of huge sadness but somehow, I feel rather glad that she’s home with her Saviour. Friends do genuinely have a huge effect on our lives and there are times when we do get by probably with a “lot” of help from our friends. I know I have.
In Exodus chapter 17 we revisit an old friend, Moses. Here he is getting a little help from friends. Joshua and the army of the Israelites were being attacked by the Amalekites. Moses was told by God to climb up a hill where he could see the battle below, hold his arms aloft and minister over the battle. Whilst Moses arms were held up, then Israel would have the victory. If he dropped them, the enemy gained the advantage.
It’s important here to mention Moses’s age. It is estimated that he was 90 years old when he led the Israelites out of Egypt and then nearly 40 years in the wilderness going round and round. It’s safe to say he would have been at least 110 years old. Climbing the hill to get up to the viewpoint would have been tough and then to stand with his arms held up for most of the day, would have been a big ask. But he had help, Aaron and Hur, part of his leadership team were with him. When they saw him tiring, the first thing they did was get him a rock to sit on which must’ve helped but he still started to drop his arms and the battle was being lost. So, they stood beside him, one on either side and they held up his arms until sunset when the battle was won by Joshua and the Israelites. His ages and frailty were never going to be a barrier to God using him as Moses had a little help from his friends.
The challenges of life can sometime feel like an uphill struggle, but God puts friends and people in our lives to help us make the climb and get to the top of the hill. Secondly, when we do God’s bidding and are obedient to His call, age is not a barrier to His perfect plan. Whether you’re quite young or elderly and advanced in years, God will always give you what you need to serve Him and fulfil His purpose. God sends the right people, at the right time to help us and get alongside us.
Finally, just a thought about hills. There are lots of mentions of hills in the Bible. God uses them to great effect. Moses in this passage, Psalm 121 “I lift up my eyes to the hills” very famous verse of help and encouragement. There were lots of times where Jesus went up hills or mountains to connect with God, to preach and teach (Matthew 5 vs 7) and places where the hill was significant none more so than the hill with a cross on it. (John 15 vs 13 – “Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.)
Remember that God holds us up and keeps us going, giving us all we need to serve him. “The eternal God is your dwelling place and underneath are the everlasting arms!” (Deuteronomy 33 27)
Have a blessful week.
Jackie.