Session 27
Why you shouldn’t give up
From Chasing Purpose: A 27-Day Devotional
Ever been so tired you wanted to quit everything? Walk out of your office or classroom. Let the deadline pass without turning anything in. Sleep through the alarm, and stop answering the phone.
We’ve all been there, and that’s why we all need people who will refuse to let us give up when it matters most. For Moses, those friends were Aaron and Hur.
“As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 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 of one side, one on the other — so his hands remained steady till sunset” (Exodus 17:11-12).
Moses would never see the Promised Land, but he worked to leave those who would follow him in a better position than where he started. And with Aaron and Hur’s help, Israel succeeded on the battleground that day.
After the battle, God told Moses to write down what happened so that Joshua, the leader who would replace Moses, would always remember what happened. One day, when no one remembers Amalek’s name, they would remember the faithfulness of God and the power of friends who help us keep going when we’re ready to give up.
What’s the message we’re leaving to those coming behind us? When we’re ready to quit, we’re usually thinking about how badly we need relief. We’re not thinking about what quitting will cost us or those coming after us.
What we chose to fight for and the way we help each other preaches a powerful message to the next generation of the church. They will do far more for God than we can even imagine. It’s our responsibility to leave them a solid foundation to build on.
Reflect:
- Who has helped you when you felt like you could not go on? What did you learn from that experience?
- What have you learned in your time as a Christian that you want younger, newer Christians to know? Ask God to allow you to share that wisdom today.