Being Intentional by Beth

“Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hand held steady until sunset. As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amelek in battle.” Exodus 17:12-13

I am not one to make New Year’s resolutions. What I ask of the Lord at the beginning of a new year is that He would show me, through my daily walk with Him, what would bring Him the most glory. As I prayed, read His word, communed with other believers, “be intentional” kept coming to mind. Just as Aaron and Hur were intentional about holding up the arms of Moses, I too, want to be intentional to hold up my brothers and sisters in Christ. Especially in the area of prayer with those who are struggling. Exodus 17:11 says, “As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage.”

I am thankful that today, you and I have the precious and powerful Holy Spirit who fights our battles for us. When we are feeling powerless or tired or feel like we are failing at life, we can have confidence, as a believer, that we are not alone. We can start each day knowing the Holy Spirit is there to help us. He is the power that sustains, energizes, and keeps us in Christ Jesus.

With the help of the Holy Spirit, I want to be intentional in loving my family, even if we don’t always see eye-to-eye on things. I want to be intentional to pray for my brothers and sisters in the faith. I want to be intentional in sharing the gospel.

Paul encourages us in Ephesians 5:15-17 to “look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Let me encourage you to make the best use of your time this year. For me, it’s being more intentional, and as Paul admonishes us in Ephesians, “understanding what the will of the Lord is.”