RAW SpiritualitySample

Day 7: Watching

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” – Psalm 133:1

What is community to you?

Many of us still struggle to relate to an unseen God. But it is easy to relate to the people who are seen around us. And even better if these people are also His people.

Community can also be defined as commitment to unity.

In today’s reading we see an excellent example of what true unity looks like. An entire community coming together to overcome the odds. And I specifically believe that it was the support shown by Aaron and Hur that secured victory. Sometimes you pray for an answer, but sometimes you must step up and step into the gap to be the answer to someone else’s prayer. Watching out for another is an ancient foundation of community.

And community is not likeness as much as it is being like-minded. Unity does not mean everyone functions in the same way or looks the same. It is different people, with different skills, being put to different uses, being utilized on different platforms, for the same purpose. And the commitment to specific purpose by diverse people is how community is built best. Unity in diversity is how communities come together.

Moses had to hold up his staff. Joshua had to lead the men in battle. The men had to fight the battle. The elders likely had to pray back at the camp while the women tended to the children and prepared meals. Aaron and Hur had the specific task of supporting Moses. Watching out for their leader was the linchpin of commanding blessing in this day’s battle.

It was the commitment of Aaron and Hur to watch out and watch over Moses that secured unity. Their commitment to unity saved an entire community. A community where everyone understood and fulfilled the role they had to play.

Aaron and Hur could not hold up the staff. But they had to hold Moses up. Joshua was still finding his feet on the frontlines, but the upheld staff in upheld hands uprooted the enemy. When community showed up, God showed off!

Many of us struggle to relate to God. But it is easier to relate to people, and best to relate to His people if you want to relate to Him.

Finding our place in a Christian community is one of the foundations if you want to find God’s presence in your life. Getting involved where people can watch over you and give you the opportunity to watch out for them as well, is where you start discovering the Divine in your daily living.

Most of the time it won’t be fire from the sky and water from the rocks either. But it might be the word of encouragement around a bonfire, or the bottle of water handed out at the outreach that makes the difference.

Encountering God often starts with being involved with His people. Watching for God often includes watching over others. Finding God often begins by being committed to unity and finding community.

Discover Deeper:

» What does community mean to you? What does it look like?

» How does your involvement with God’s people also bring you closer to Him?

» Where can you start committing more of your time and energy to be in unity with what God is doing in your community?