Day 35.
Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword. (Ex 17:8-13 ESV)
This account provides us with such a great picture of the importance of God’s leader standing before the Lord on behalf of the people as they engage in the battle of the Lord. We see Moses growing weary in the task and with his weariness, the battle goes against them. It is the lifting up of his hands by Aaron and Hur that allows the battle to be won. Such is the importance to lift up our leaders in prayer. It is God who saves. The staff points to as much as it is the “staff of the Lord.” But God chooses to use means, leaders he has raised up as intercessors. These leaders grow weary and must be lifted up by the body in order to persevere through the arduous spiritual battle that we face.
Will you lift up your leaders in prayer regularly? How will you find out how to pray for them?
Chronological Reading Plan plus Psalms: Ex 16-18, Ps 35
