1 Maccabees 12:33-38: a reflection

33Simon went out, and took his journey as far as Ascalon, and the strongholds that were near it. Then he turned toward Joppa and took possession of it; 34for he had heard that they were planning to hand over the stronghold to Demetrius’ men. He set a garrison there to guard it. 35Then Jonathan returned and called the elders of the people together. He planned with them to build strongholds in Judea, 36and to make the walls of Jerusalem higher, and to raise a great mound between the citadel and the city, to separate it from the city, that so it might be isolated, that its garrison might neither buy nor sell. 37They were gathered together to build the city. Part of the wall of the brook that is on the east side had fallen down, and he repaired the section called Chaphenatha. 38Simon also built Adida in the plain country, made it strong, and set up gates and bars.

In this account, the leaders of God's people set about strengthening their defenses. They build strongholds throughout the land, raise the walls of Jerusalem higher, and repair the sections of the wall that had fallen into disrepair. Recognizing the dangers around them, they do not wait until the enemy is upon them; they build up the walls and strengthen the fortifications while there is time, so that the people will be protected when trouble comes.

Notice the wisdom of strengthening the walls before they are needed. The leaders did not neglect the defenses until an attack forced the issue; they built up the walls, repaired the breaches, and raised the fortifications in advance, preparing for the trouble they knew could come. A wall repaired in time of peace is a protection in time of war; a breach left unrepaired is an open door to the enemy.

That is a picture of a wisdom we need in our own spiritual lives. We each have walls that protect us, the guards over our hearts, the disciplines and safeguards that keep out what would harm us; and we are prone to neglect them until we are already under attack, until the enemy is already through the breach. But wisdom builds up the walls in time, guards the heart, repairs the breaches, before the attack comes. Do not neglect the walls of your spiritual life until temptation has already breached them. Strengthen the guard over your heart, repair the breaches in your defenses, build up what protects you, while there is time. The breach left unrepaired becomes the enemy's open door; strengthen your walls before you need them.

Lord, in this account the leaders strengthened their defenses, building up the walls of Jerusalem and repairing the breaches while there was time, so that the people would be protected when trouble came. Give me that wisdom in my own spiritual life. I have walls that protect me, the guard over my heart, the disciplines and safeguards that keep out what would harm me; and I am prone to neglect them until I am already under attack, until the enemy is already through the breach. But wisdom builds up the walls in time, guards the heart, repairs the breaches, before the attack comes. Keep me from neglecting the walls of my spiritual life until temptation has already breached them. Help me strengthen the guard over my heart, repair the breaches in my defenses, and build up what protects me, while there is time. The breach left unrepaired becomes the enemy's open door; help me strengthen my walls before I need them. Guard my heart, Lord.