The Miracle of Friends To Encourage Us: We Do Not Face the Battle Alone

 

 

 

 

8The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 9Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.”

10So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. (Exodus 17: 8-13)

 

Today is "Friends Day" on Facebook. We are to celebrate friends. This is fitting for the situation both me and my mom find ourselves in. My Bible Study today was the above passage from Exodus. In summary, when the Israelites were entering the Promised Land, they had to fight to displace the idolatrous people who currently occupied the land. God promised to be with them, but this passage is very interesting.  He secured the victory through Moses holding up the staff of God with upraised arms. When Moses held his arms high so all could see the staff of God, the Israelites were winning.

Moses grew weary, and his arms drooped. Every time he lost strength, his army began to lose the battle. His friends, seeing poor Moses exhausted and unable to hold up his arms himself came to his side and held his arms up for him.

My mother stood and took her first real steps since breaking her arm and hip two weeks ago. She could not yet do it alone, but with the help of the therapists, she was able to walk again. As she sat back down exhausted, I asked, "How did that feel?"
"Gratifying," she said.

On my way to the rehab center yesterday, my car's windshield washers stopped working...again. This is the second time this trip to the frozen tundra of NY to help my mom that they have stopped working. With the salt/mud/dirty snow encrusted roads, a thin film of smeared mud soon obliterated all hope of seeing the road. I was driving nearly blind. This comes on the tail of my car battery going completely dead in the cold two days ago. I must admit, I was feeling discouraged.

Lord, is it not enough that I am here going on three weeks to help my folks? Must my car keep being a thorn in my side and a worry as well?

I made it to the rehab center, and my Dad insisted on taking my car to his trusty mechanic for a thorough overhaul. He would not have me endangered again, and wanted to be sure the old car who cannot stand the cold anymore than I can would be safe and fit for driving northern roads.

A poorly routed washer cable was rerouted so it will not fail me again, and newly cleaned lenses on the headlights will be scoured today. They were losing 70% of illumination. NO wonder I can't drive and see at night!

Mom has been receiving cards daily from friends and family. I get daily emails and texts from friends and family.  God could provide miracles of healing to mom and to my car. Instead just as He did for Moses, He provides the miracles of loving friends and family. 
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Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.