Exodus 17 - A Strong Arm (Devotions)

I have a story today, not only for patients and residents, but also the doctors, nurses and staff.

Remember Moses, who received the Ten Commandments? He had a staff, a walking stick. God had Moses perform various miracles, using that staff. At one point, he hit the waters of the Red Sea and the sea opened up so they could flee from the armies of Egypt. Another time, the people and their livestock needed water: Moses hit a rock with the staff and a fountain of water sprang up.

Then there was a time when they were fighting their enemies. Moses stationed himself on top of a hill, overlooking the battlefield. Then he took his staff and raised it with both hands. As long as he held the staff aloft, the army of Israel was winning. If he dropped his hands, they started losing.  (Exodus 17)

How long could you hold a walking stick over your head, or even in front of you? Not long. Neither could Moses. So they found a boulder for Moses to sit down. There were two men; one of them was Moses' own brother. They stationed themselves on either side of him. They held Moses' arms aloft for the duration of the battle. And in the end, the army of Israel won.

I don't know who you are in this story. Maybe you're one of the soldiers, fighting the battle ...you keep glancing up, waiting for a miracle. Maybe, like Moses, your arms are getting weak from holding a staff in the air. Or perhaps you're one of the two helping Moses hold up his arms.

Ultimately, of course, we all find our strength in God.

We rest on Thee, our Shield and our Defender
We go not forth alone against the foe.
Strong in Thy strength, safe in Thy keeping tender,
We rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go.  - Edith G. Cherry, 1895

As we read in the Psalm 89:11,
"You [O God] have a strong arm; Your hand is mighty, Your right hand is exalted." Amen