Standing in the Gap

Exodus 17:9-13 - And Moses said to Joshua, "Choose for us men, and go out, fight with Am'alek; tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand."  So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Am'alek; and 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, Am'alek prevailed.  But Moses' hands grew weary; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat upon it, and 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 mowed down Am'alek and his people with the edge of the sword. 

The people had been allowed by God to move a bit closer to the promised land of Canaan. And as they settled in the new camp they have two serious problems they must face. Both problems are solved with the intervention of a mighty God.  The first is solved by a mighty miracle of God….water just flows out of a rock as Moses follows the orders of God to strike it with the same rod that has been God’s tool of justice. But Moses is given no direct instructions for solving the second problem …for the relatives of Esau…who have become the very large… mean…fierce … and scavenging nation of Amalek…are nearby…and must be defeated…least they destroy the people of God and take all their possessions.

 They must have been far enough away from Egypt that God knew they would not try to run back…and Moses seemed to just know what to do….so he took control quickly and sent Joshua to gather an army to fight...and as Joshua left the camp with his army…Moses went to the top of the hill with the ‘Rod of God.’ He allows his brother Aaron..and a man named Hur to go with him…and he just lifts that rod to the sky….and I believe prayed a silent…constant prayer for God’s deliverance and blessing for Joshua and the men he took to fight.

Moses held that rod up as long as he could…but as his arms grew tired…gravity called for him to rest them. And as Moses grew tired…and the humanness that made him weak took over…and the great vision he saw for victory in the battle seemed to be lost. So he quickly gained his composure and raised the rod once more to see God’s blessing poured out and the army Joshua picked seem to get the upper hand. But the humanness of Moses finally won…and he finally became so weak that he completely gave out…and it seemed all hope was lost.

What a model Moses must have been to his brother and friend….for their creative juices seemed to pick up where Moses’ strength failed. And they found a rock large enough for Moses to sit and rest on…and they helped him hold the rod…one on each side…until the sun set…until the battle was completely won. What a joy must have filled Moses heart as he watched the two friends use the minds God gave them to put into motion the backup plan that is a model of unity for all of us. What pleasure it must have given God to see these two… stand in the gap for the leader they knew just had no more human strength…and so God blessed the three of them…and allowed the Israelites to be victorious over the Amaleks that day.

Father…I thank you for my friends.  You have blessed me with more than two in my lifetime…that stand in the gap for me when my human strength has reached its limits. I could never repay all of the people who have lifted up prayers of strength….deliverance…and healing to you…and and helped me to find your presence when I though all hope was gone….for some of those prayers were lifted by people I don’t even know! You are so amazing! Teach me how to stand in the gap for my friends…to recognize when they just have no more strength to fight….to hold up their own prayers to you.  Show me how to help them….reveal to me the rock for them to sit on and rest…while I do the work of praying to you for guidance and strength and deliverance. Amen