1 Maccabees 13:7-11: a reflection

7The spirit of the people revived as soon as they heard these words. 8They answered with a loud voice, saying, “You are our leader in the place of Judas and Jonathan your brothers. 9Fight our battles, and we will do all that you tell us to do.” 10He gathered together all the men of war, and hurried to finish the walls of Jerusalem. He fortified it all around. 11He sent Jonathan the son of Absalom, and with him a great army, to Joppa. He threw out those who were in it, and lived there.

After the loss of their leaders Judas and Jonathan, the people of Israel are dispirited; but when Simon speaks to them, something changes. The spirit of the people revived as soon as they heard these words. They answered with a loud voice, You are our leader; fight our battles, and we will do all that you tell us to do. Where there had been discouragement, hope and courage were renewed; the people's spirit revived, and they rose to act, to rebuild and defend. A word of leadership and hope turned their despair into renewed resolve, and they set about the work again.

Notice how the people's spirit revived, and what it moved them to do. They had been dispirited, having lost their leaders; but a word of hope and leadership revived their spirit, and the renewed courage did not stay inward, it moved them to act. They rallied, took up the work of fortifying and defending, rose from their discouragement to do what needed doing. The revived spirit became renewed action; the hope that lifted them moved them to rise and work again. Despair had held them still; renewed hope set them moving, to rebuild and defend what had seemed lost.

That is worth taking to heart, for renewed hope can revive our spirit after despair and move us to act again. We can be dispirited by loss or setback, sunk in discouragement, unable to act; but a word of hope can revive our spirit, as Simon's words revived the people's, and the renewed courage can move us to rise and take up the work again. Despair holds us still; renewed hope sets us moving. When you are dispirited by loss or setback, do not stay sunk in discouragement; let renewed hope revive your spirit and move you to act again, as the people's spirit revived at Simon's words. Let renewed hope revive your spirit after despair and move you to rise and act again, as the people's spirit revived when they heard Simon's words and they rose to rebuild and defend; for despair holds us still, but renewed hope can lift our spirit and set us moving again to the work before us.

Lord, after the loss of their leaders Judas and Jonathan, the people of Israel are dispirited; but when Simon speaks to them, something changes. The spirit of the people revived as soon as they heard these words. They answered with a loud voice, you are our leader; fight our battles, and we will do all that you tell us to do. Where there had been discouragement, hope and courage were renewed; the people's spirit revived, and they rose to act. A word of leadership and hope turned their despair into renewed resolve. Show me how the people's spirit revived, and what it moved them to do. They had been dispirited, having lost their leaders; but a word of hope revived their spirit, and the renewed courage moved them to act. They rallied, took up the work of fortifying and defending, rose from their discouragement. The revived spirit became renewed action. Despair had held them still; renewed hope set them moving. Take that to my heart, for renewed hope can revive my spirit after despair and move me to act again. I can be dispirited by loss or setback, sunk in discouragement, unable to act; but a word of hope can revive my spirit, as Simon's words revived the people's, and the renewed courage can move me to rise and take up the work again. When I am dispirited by loss or setback, keep me from staying sunk in discouragement; let renewed hope revive my spirit and move me to act again, Lord, as the people's spirit revived at Simon's words.