If you are following Jesus and seeking to be like Him, you will discover that you are sometimes called to carry a heavy load. That load is different for each of us but it will usually involve serving others, doing hard things (ideally with a good attitude), and some amount of suffering. Perhaps you will have to deal with hardship, illness, disappointment, or financial stress. Maybe you will be called to help people who are suffering physical or emotional pain. Sometimes you may be doing all of those things and dealing with your own suffering at the same time. So how do you handle that? What do you do when it all feels like more than you can bear?
The Lord has blessed me with the opportunity and responsibility to care for others. I have several friends who are also in the ranks of the Lord’s army of caretakers. Our duties may include listening, counseling, feeding, comforting, encouraging, serving, nursing, discipling, laundry, dishes, transportation, child care, or sharing our home with someone in need of a safe refuge. Often we are serving multiple people at the same time. We laugh with them, cry with them, and share their concerns and fears, all while dealing with the ups and downs, the joys and struggles of our own lives. And while we take great joy in these activities and are grateful for the privilege of serving, there are times when carrying the emotional, physical, financial, and spiritual weight of all of this can become absolutely tremendous. And we get overwhelmed and tired and our strength runs low. The same thing happened to Moses in a more literal way.
At Rephidim, Amalek came and fought against Israel. Moses said to Joshua, “Select some men for us and go fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the hilltop with God’s staff in my hand.” Joshua did as Moses had told him, and fought against Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. While Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, but whenever he put his hand down, Amalek prevailed. When Moses’ hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat down on it. Then Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his army with the sword.
Exodus 17:8-13
Did you see that? Do you see what was going on here? Moses is throwing all of his strength into supporting Joshua as Joshua is leading an army in battle. Moses is serving the Lord by serving Joshua. But Moses isn’t doing it alone. The Lord has provided others to be there. Aaron and Hur are with Moses. When Moses gets tired, Aaron and Hur serve the Lord by serving Moses. They provide Moses with physical comfort and a partial easing of his burden in the form of a place to sit. Then, they support Moses by lending their own strength and literally holding his arms up when Moses’s own muscles just can’t do it anymore.
My friends and I are ordinary people, sinners saved by God’s grace, not our own efforts or good deeds. We certainly don’t compare to Moses in terms of significance. But the example of Moses needing others to support him while he supported Joshua definitely reflects our own reality. Sometimes, when I am doing my best to help those God has put in my path, it can become overwhelming, especially if I am also dealing with an illness, a financial strain, or some other difficulty of my own at the same time. It often seems that everybody needs something at the same time. That is when I am grateful for the Aarons and Hurs in my own life. Those faithful brothers and sisters in Christ who will come alongside me, pray with me, pray for me, and hold my arms up (literally or figuratively) when my strength fails. I’m also grateful when I am called on to do the same for them. Whether it’s praying for them, listening as they share frustration or worry, or providing more tangible help like a meal, child care, or a ride to wherever they need to go.
Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our affliction,[a] so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
“The Church” isn’t a building. It isn’t just a thing for Sundays. “The Church”, the real Church, is every Christ follower that has ever lived. And the Church is intended to operate as an interdependent group of people dedicated to serving God, working together, supporting each other, and being supported by each other. If you’re a Christ follower, you are called to be Joshua sometimes, and to be Moses sometimes and to be Aaron or Hur sometimes. Each role is vital to serving God’s purposes.
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Lift up and encourage others whenever you can. Don’t forget to also reach out to others to give them the opportunity to do the same for you when your strength is waning. Serve and be served. You were made for this.
a surrendered life 