Big Hill, Really Big Name

Big Hill, Really Big Name

Bible Blast: Read Exodus 17:8-13

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 hands held steady until sunset. Exodus 17:12

What would you say if I walked up to you and blurted out this word: “Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu”?

Believe it or not, that’s an actual word. It’s the name of a thousand-foot-high hill in New Zealand. It’s known as the longest name for a place in an English-speaking country. (The local people often just call it “Taumata.”)

I bet you’re wondering what this gigantic word means, aren’t you? This really cracks me up. According to Wikipedia, it means “the summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the climber of mountains, the land-swallower who traveled about, played his nose flute to his loved one.” Crazy!

Sometimes important hills have big names, and sometimes they don’t have any names, like the one Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed in the story told in our Bible Blast today. What a cool picture of friendship. Moses knew he needed to keep his staff raised so Joshua and his army could beat the Amalekites, but after a while Moses’ arms got tired. So his buddies held up his arms for him, and the Israelites won.

There will be times in your life when you run out of strength to do the right thing, and your BFFs will need to come and help you out. God never intended for us to do everything all on our own. He wants all believers to be connected and depend on each other, just like the parts of a body. “Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other” (Romans 12:4-5).

If you never let people help you, it doesn’t mean you’re strong, at least not in God’s dictionary. He’s not waiting for you to prove that you can “do it all by yourself.” He totally loves it when his children work together and help each other out.

Girl Gab: Mom, do you have a hard time asking for help? What about you, Daughter? Today pray that God would teach you what real strength is and help you see the importance of being part of the body of Christ.