refreshing

There are a few really cool passages that I want to share today- passages that are connected by the theme of prayer and community in a unique way.

"So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses as ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were wining. 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. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword...Moses built an altar and called it 'The Lord is my Banner'. He said, 'For hands were lifted up to the throne of the Lord. The Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation."
             -Exodus 17:10-16

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."
              -Colossians 4:2-6

What would our earthly relationships look like if we lifted up each others' arms when we became weary, like Moses, Aaron and Hur? What would they look like if we were devoted to prayer? If we made the most of every opportunity and allowed conversations to be full of grace? I think we would find our relationships to be incredibly refreshing. I think we would become energized to pursue more relationships to spread the glory of God. I think we would create a network of believers that thrives on grace and love.