Held up by others

"Is the Lord among us or not?"  Exodus 17:7b

Held up by others
By Rev. William Dohle

One of the most beloved poems of our time was one written by that author of authors, that poet of poets, anonymous.  It's called "Footprints in the Sand."  Its a poem so loved and cherished that it has been made into quilts and throw rugs, posters and greetings cards.  It's literally everywhere!

The last phrase, though, is usually the most remembered.  After the poet has struggled with seeing just one set of footprints in times of distress in his life, he asks why Christ stopped carrying him then.  Christ answers...

"My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you."

Carried by Christ.  Cherished by God.  Such images help us through times of turmoil, pain, stress, and tragedy.  Carried by Christ is a common theme in most Christian circles because we cannot face the tough times alone.

And that is true that Christ carries us.  But there's more.  Much more.

You see, God doesn't work outside of humanity but through it.  Christ has no hands other than ours.

In other words... when Christ was carrying you... he was carrying you through others!

We see God working this way in the book of Exodus.  As the Amalekites come attacking the Israelites at Rephidim, Moses sends Joshua and a few men to fight them while "...tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands."

So... the battle ensues.  Joshua goes to fight.  Moses stands on the hill with the staff of God raised in his hands.

Only he discovers its really hard to do.  Anyone who's ever had to hold up something in the hands has learned that your hands and arms get tired...real fast!  And Moses learns this too.

"As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning."(Ex. 17:11)

Tough thing there, holding up an army by yourself!

But Moses doesn't have to do it all by himself.  Moses has help.  Aaron and Hur come to Moses' aid.

"When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a tone 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."(Ex. 17:12)

And so Moses and the Israelites defeated their enemies...with everyone helping one another.

We find the same thing happens with us too.  When we are faced with tragedy or trials, we find that others tend to rally around us.  Friends come to hold up our hands for a time.  Family too.  Prayers from near and far go to support us in our time of need.  And Christ carries us through.

Christ's work is done when we all rally together.  As it was done when Aaron and Hur came to Moses' aid and held up his hands for the people, so too God's work is done when others come to our aid and we to theirs.  In that way, Christ carries us through.

God as friends held up Moses' hands, may we hold up one another that through our hands, your work is done.  Amen.