Feeling wrung out?

I am tired. Do you ever get that feeling of being overwhelmed, overrun, beaten down, pushed around and defeated? You know what I mean. Everything seems to be going wrong and you don't feel like doing much. I know, though, that I am in good company. I read this passage today about Moses and how he got tired of standing and holding his arms up in prayer to God. It's in Exodus 17:8-13. While Moses held his arms up in prayer the Israelite army would be winning. If he got tired and dropped his arms, even to just rest his weary limbs, the army would begin to lose and soldiers would be killed. Moses got tired and that affected the outcome of an important battle.

Is our battle any less important? People are lost and struggling and losing their battles all around us unless we step up and do something. But, like I said, I am so tired. How did Moses do it? For a whole day he stayed on that hill and held up his arms in prayer to God for the soldiers. The key - Moses had help. "When 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." Moses needed help. He needed help to hold up his hands in prayer to God for the people. If a mighty leader like Moses needed help, guess what? I realize that I need help, too.

I need people to gather around me and join with me in prayer for the work of the church. I cannot do this alone. I cannot lead by myself. At the times when I feel that I need to do it all myself, that is exactly when my energy begins to decrease dramatically. So, if you are a part of New Community, I need your support. I am asking you to come alongside and hold my arms up in prayer. Join me in praying for this church and help me by holding me up in prayer, too. If you are part of another church, your pastor and leaders need you to support them. Some of us leaders might be a little too proud to admit this - but we get tired. Join with me. Pray with me. Let's support each other through prayer and see how God begins to make the battles go our way.