Sunday Scripture

 

Again this Sunday, I'm sharing from the Made for Community reading plan from Love God Greatly that I worked on back in 2015.  With this study, as I have often done, I used the SOAP method of Bible study.  Just a quick reminder that the S is for Scripture, O is for Observation, A is for Application and P is for Prayer.  The fourth section is Made for Community with the Body of Christ.  So here we go with the Scripture for the first day of that section. 

S= "But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun."  (Exodus 17:12)

O= Amalek came to fight with Israel in Rephidim.  So Moses ordered Joshua to choose out men to fight against Amalek.  During the battle, Moses planned to stand on the hill with the rod of God in his hand.  

It didn't work out quite as planned, in that Moses couldn't keep his hands up constantly, and whenever he let his hands down, Amalek prevailed.  So Aaron and Hur stepped in to help.  They placed a large stone on the ground so Moses could sit, rather than stand, on the hill.  Then, one on either side, Aaron and Hur held up Moses' hands -- enabling them to remain steady until sundown.

The result, of course, was that Joshua and his men defeated Amalek.

A=  As believers, we also ought to be holding up the hands of those in ministry.  Prayer is the most important way, but as with Aaron and Hur, there are practical ways as well.  These men saw a need, a problem they could solve by taking practical steps.  

I have heard pastors and missionaries speak of having their hands held up, not only by those who prayed for them, but by those who provide logistical support -- keeping the church building clean, helping with fellowship times, mowing the church lawn or plowing snow from the parking lot.  Even helping with music, though we tend to think of that as a ministry in itself (which it is) may hold up the hands of a pastor in a tiny church as it enhances the worship and helps with the singing.

This passage also points out the importance of praying for others in their battles.  We should be steady in our prayer lives, not sporadic.  Others should be able to count on our prayers.

P= "Lord, I pray that You will help me to be faithful in praying for others in their battles.  Sometimes it's easier to focus on my own needs, but You would have Your people to intercede on behalf of others.  

"Help me to pray consistently, steadily, for the needs of others, not to pray once and then forget them.  I pray too that You will help me to be faithful in holding up the hands of those who are ministering Your Word, in my own church as well as in hard places around the world.  

"Help me also when I see areas where I can help practically, to be willing to step in and do so.  I thank You for how You will help me in all of this, in Jesus' name, Amen."

There's our Sunday Scripture for this week!  I pray it was an encouragement to someone!