Lately I’ve been thankful for others…family, friends, acquaintances… relationships in general.  For the most part, I’d say that I’m not a person who’s too dependant on… others. (with the great exception of my wife… who I’d honestly be directionless without… I’m not trying to get “bonus points”; it’s just the truth).  If there’s a task before me… give me a couple hours to think and work on it and I’ll get it done somehow…  Explain what you’d like and then let me run free to get it figured out.  I… Adam… can do it.

I’m not sure where this self-sufficiency thing came from… but it seems to be the norm these days…  What can you do?  What are you capable of?  Adam… you can do it.

Things are a changin though…Thanks Lord (said with some sarcasm)…Just recently,  I’m quickly realizing that I’m not self sufficient at all.  Even with my drive, I’m realizing that I wouldn’t just like others around me… but I need others around me… I’m truly dependent on others.  I can’t do this…life in general… living day to day… on my own…  What a place to be.  I need others.  Community. Relationships. Friendship.  Others… for guidance, encouragement, strength….love.

There’s a story in the book of Exodus 17.  Moses tells his apprentice Joshua to go out and fight… while he stands on a hill holding the staff of God.  Joshua goes to war while Moses goes up on the hill… with others… Aaron and Hur.  Then Exodus 17:11 gives us the details…”As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.”

So... hold up the staff Moses… and things will go well. I mean, it’s just a staff… no problem… just hold it up and everything will be great…  Ready. Set. Go. 

Here’s where… the others… come in handy.  Holding up a staff is no big deal right?…a child could do it… but holding a staff for a full day…impossible…for anyone.  Inevitably, it says that “Moses' hands grew tired.”   I’ve been there…. I understand that.   Then in verse 12…the others…. good ol Aaron and Hur… take “a stone and put it under him” and Moses sits on it….  Then it goes on to say that… the others… hold his hands up “one on one side, one on the other-- so that his hands remained steady till sunset.”  Joshua goes on to win the battle.

The others…

Moses… one of the most significant characters of the Bible… a man specifically chosen by for a specific task… does not just want others... but he’s dependent… on others… he needs them… to hold his hands up… one on one side… and one on the other…  Thank goodness for the others…(Can I get an ‘Amen’ Joshua?)

Then there’s you and I… regular Joes and Jills… unsure most of the time…of where we’re supposed to be… and what God has for us…  trying to get the job done… maybe trying to live up to everyone else’s expectations… trying to be self-sufficient…

I’m not sure about you… but my hands have been tired at times.  Sometimes for just a day… sometime for a week… Are yours?  Is this making sense…

Recently… I’ve been forced… yup, forced to give up... I just couldn’t keep my hands up any longer on my own… it’s been amazing to see the others… come around me… when I mentioned it… when I asked for help… but mostly…when I finally allowed it…

I’m thankful for… the others…

(note: Thank goodness for the Church… having others… around others…  others around you… others around me.)

Lord, this day…week… and month… I thank you for relationships… for others.  This life we’re in is great…but it’s also tiring… Lord, I’m sure there are some reading this who are tired… unsure of how they’re gonna make it through tomorrow… I pray that they would take some good advice from our man Moses… and allow others to surround them… one on one side… and one on the other…  Lord, we are in need of others… for even the seemingly easy things…tasks that are before us…  no man or woman… is an island Lord… We not only would like others around us… but we need others around us… we’re dependent… on others.

More than anything else Lord… I’m realizing… my deep… and desperate need for you… your guidance, encouragement, strength….love.  God… Father, Son, Holy Spirit… would you surround me… would you be not only on both sides of me… but would you be in me…. would you come dwell within me… I’m standing up on the hill side… calling out for you to hold up my arms… I’m tired… I’m unable to do even this simple task…let alone life…without you Lord.  Thank you… Thank you… Thank you… Amen.