Tucked neatly into five verses in the 17th chapter of Exodus is found a powerful portrayal of a battle-weary, yet faithful Moses. While this passage may have little screen time in God’s narrative, it packs a big message. Let’s unpack it together this week …
A Man With A Plan
“Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” … So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed. Exodus 17:9, 11, NASB
As the sun began to brighten the sky, feeling defeated and weary from battle, I scrawled in my prayer journal, “Lord, I fight the same battle day in and day out, with no victory in sight.” As those words took form on the page, I felt a gentle reminder from the Lord. While countless prayers had been said, too many times I had foolishly relied on my own strength to carry me through the battle that I was facing.
Praise God that unlike me, Moses wasn’t wingin’ it when the Israelites and the Amalekites battled at Rephidim. Instead, he was a man with a plan. With his staff in hand, he stationed himself on the hilltop while Israel went to battle. The staff he held, a symbol of God’s power, was raised high to heaven as Moses cried out to the Lord in prayer on behalf of his people.
Our passage informs us that when his arms were raised high, the Israelites took the lead, but when he dropped his arms, the Amalekites prevailed. Please don’t be misled here and think that the battle’s outcome was being controlled by Moses and the position of his upper extremities!
With his arms raised high, which was a posture of prayer for Moses, he fervently prayed to God on behalf of his people, and it was Moses’ faith that won the battle.
Like Moses, you and I need a battle plan. Instead of a staff to remind us of God’s power, we have our Bibles. Friend, we must be women in the Word. We cannot allow our Bibles to collect dust on Monday through Saturday and relegate prayer to before meals and on Sundays at church.
Our battles look different, but there is a battle raging nonetheless and like the Israelites, our victory depends on the Lord. Prayer must not be our last resort after we have become exhausted from trying to fight the battle in our own strength. Instead, it must be our first plan of attack. We, too, must assume a posture of prayer just as Moses did and do battle in the Lord’s strength. We cannot fight nor can we win the battle on our own.
Dear Lord, help us to be women in the Word, being reminded of Your power. Help us not to foolishly rely on our own feeble strength in the battles of life but to faithfully come before You. Amen.
Amazed by His grace,
Traci
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