Hands Held High
Church this Sunday was a bit different than church a few weeks ago back in Austin. As we rolled up to a “church” that meets in a schoolyard just outside of a slum in Kampala, the first thing you notice is this “church” is made up of kids – big and small ones. They are singing with no instrumentation other than three drums…and it sounds awesome. As soon as we show up they bring me to the front and Scott Lambie introduces me as his pastor from Texas – from which I receive a resounding applause. Next Scott tells them something that really excites them. He says, “This is the pastor that taught me Pharaoh, Pharaoh”. Now the applause really kicks in. We then join in as they continue to worship. The young adults leading are singing and dancing and the kids are loving every minute of it as they stand outside in the dirt. They are singing, dancing, laughing, and clapping. One little girl was so into what was going on, as she was standing in front of us she just started peeing – not even missing a beat. Luckily she had on a skirt. As far as she was concerned the only problem seemed to be the mud she was now standing in. A few steps to the side and all was good.
After about 45 minutes of worship (maybe even longer) we break up into different age groups and head to some classrooms. Scott asked me if I would teach the teens. I couldn’t remember the last time I had taught teenagers, but I was looking forward to it. I taught on Exodus 17- the part of the chapter where the Israelites are fighting the Amalekites. The entire battle is summed up in just a few verses and they are powerful! Moses sends Joshua out into the valley to lead the battle while Moses went up on the top of the hill to pray. As long as Moses has his hands raised, the Israelites prevail, but when Moses’ arms get tired and they start to fall, the Amalekites prevail. Aaron and Hur (who are up on the hill with Moses) pull up a rock, sit Moses down on it and proceed to hold up his arms…until sunset! Because of this the Israelites go on to win the battle and Moses builds an altar of worship. I went on to talk about how Joshua wasn’t the one who was getting tired, but Moses was. You know what is so crazy? The fighting is not near as hard as the praying. It is the spiritual that is the most difficult. As I looked out over these 75-100 teenagers there was complete engagement. I was watching the living and active word of God working in that room. After some discussion of the battles we all fight I asked them to start talking to God about some of their battles. I asked them to “raise their hands” and ask God for victory in the battles they are fighting. The room that was completely silent before was now full of kids praying. Imagine, kids lifting their hands from the top of the hill asking our mighty God for victory. Powerful!
One thing the hill gives is perspective. We are fighters and we spend most, if not all, of our time down in the valley, but the battle is one or lost on the top of the hill. I am not sure what battles you are fighting right now, but take it from a roomful of Ugandan teenagers – there is power as the hands are raised from the hill. You should have heard their prayers – they believed it!
1 comment
Praise God! What an awesome story. We can’t wait to hear more-soon!