Lean on Me by Diana Derringer

Lean on Me

by Diana Derringer*

“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”

(Exodus 17:12, NIV).

I grew up on a farm where hard work was the norm. The summer sun drew sweat, muscles cramped, and chores seemed endless. When we needed a break, we often leaned against the closest fence. It propped us up while we drank cold water, wiped our faces, and wondered how much longer until quitting time. We didn’t always have a fence nearby to lean on, but it surely helped when we did.

Just like those fences, good friends support us during trying times. We can depend on them to always be there – firm, steadfast, secure.

That’s what Aaron and Hur did for Moses. When Moses grew weary, they held up his hands, so “his hands remained steady till sunset.” They stayed with him, never wavering, until he completed his task of making sure the Israelites were victorious.

Examples like these along with other men and women of the Bible prompt us to ask an important question. Do we allow other writers to lean on us when they receive rejections and wonder what to do next? Have we offered ourselves as a place for them to catch their breath and regain their confidence before moving on? How can we provide a moment of respite when it seems their current work in progress will never end? When writing gets tough and resolve grows weak, we need one another.

Aaron and Hur propped up Moses. The Holy Spirit props all who place their faith in Jesus. As writers, we are all in one community, working for the Lord. Let’s be there to prop one another up. Paul put it best when he said, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2 NIV).

Supportive Savior, help us be the vessels of your strength as we extend our hearts and hands in support for one another. Amen.

* A version of this devotion was published in The Upper Room on 4-7-18. Reprint Rights offered, © 2018 Diana Derringer.

Diana Derringer, author of Beyond Bethlehem and Calvary and caregiver for her husband, shares

Please follow and like us: