Page 12 - October 2026 - Truth & Tidings

raised his arms in prayer. Aaron and Hur said, “I understand,” one of the sons grew
were unstained with the blood of battle, angrier and angrier. I realized afterward
but they sustained the arms of Moses. that he felt that we were saying that we
Consider a burdened battle-weary be- understood his feelings, while we were
liever today who may be in need of your saying that we understood the situation.
Christian service at this very moment! In the end he stormed out of the office in
How can we help a believer who is un- anger and frustration, only to return and
willing to share their burden? I recently apologize later. The situation was surpris-
had an eye-opening experience at the ing, but also most instructive. The reality
medical practice where I work. We in- is that in many cases individuals are not
vited two sons of a patient with a medical ready or willing to share their burden.
crisis to come and speak with our social However, as believers seeking to help one
worker. We felt we were going out of our another, we are without excuse, because
way to provide extra-mile service. Yet, if no other avenue is open, we are always
unexpectedly, as we spoke, every time we able to uplift one another in prayer.

Joseph Continued from p. 293

focus? Visualize it. The disciples are these people, in this place, right now.”
looking at each other (v33), but the Lord Sometimes we could use the same re-
hasn’t taken His eyes off the woman as minder to stop us in our self-regulated
she heads into the city. Focused on the service. We pray for certain people and
spiritual, He sees what they miss: a crowd arrange certain times for outreach, yet
pouring out of the city, thirsty for this liv- the Lord may have a harvest before us
ing water (v30). The command to “lift up right now. Maybe if we lifted up our eyes
your eyes” was actually a rebuke to their with a spiritual focus, we would see the
carnal tendencies to “mind earthly things” immigrants in our communities as less
(Php 3:19). of a political issue and more as souls in
Now the disciples could have been God’s harvest. Perhaps, if we really look,
excused for their ignorance. After all, the Lord is opening doors in your school,
they had been instructed different times workplace or seniors’ home that could be
to preach to the “lost sheep of the house your corner of the field for the rest of your
of Israel” (Mat 10:6; 15:24). They would life. So, instead of planning and procrasti-
be aware of a coming harvest, but they nating, let’s lift up our eyes!
couldn’t see beyond their own parameters. A seeking son, sent to Shechem. Buried
In other words, they had no trouble be- bones, a boundary-breaking bough, a
ing sent as labourers in the gospel fields, new name, and the Lord of the harvest.
but they didn’t have that place or those Our hope is that these considerations of
people in mind. Basically, what the Lord John 4 through the lens of Joseph have
was teaching them was this: “You may be helped us appreciate the passage more,
looking for other people in other places with its devotional features and practical
and other times, but I’m telling you it’s teaching.

300 TRUTH kTidings October 2026