1 Maccabees 4:26-33: a reflection

26The foreigners who had escaped came and told Lysias all the things that had happened. 27When he heard of it, he was confounded and discouraged, because the things he desired had not been done to Israel, nor had such things happened as the king commanded him. 28In the next year, he gathered together sixty thousand chosen infantry and five thousand cavalry, that he might subdue them. 29They came into Idumaea and encamped at Bethsura. Judas met them with ten thousand men. 30He saw that the army was strong, and he prayed and said, “Blessed are you, O Savior of Israel, who defeated the attack of the mighty warrior by the hand of your servant David, and delivered the army of the Philistines into the hands of Jonathan the son of Saul, and of his armor bearer. 31Hem in this army in the hand of your people Israel, and let them be ashamed for their army and their cavalry. 32Give them faintness of heart. Cause the boldness of their strength to melt away, and let them quake at their destruction. 33Strike them down with the sword of those who love you, and let all who know your name praise you with thanksgiving.”

When Lysias comes against Israel again with a great army, sixty thousand chosen infantry and five thousand cavalry, Judas meets him with only ten thousand men, and seeing how strong the opposing army is, he turns first to prayer, recalling God's past deliverances. Blessed are you, O Savior of Israel, he prays, who crushed the attack of the mighty warrior by the hand of your servant David, and delivered the army into the hands of Jonathan. Facing a force far greater than his own, Judas does not despair or trust in his own strength; he prays, and grounds his prayer in remembering how God had delivered his people before, against overwhelming odds. When outmatched, Judas turned to prayer and recalled God's past deliverances. Facing overwhelming odds, Judas prayed, remembering how God had delivered before. When outmatched, turn to prayer and recall God's past deliverances. Judas met a greater force with prayer grounded in remembered deliverance.

Notice what Judas does when he sees the army is too strong for him. He does not despair, nor does he trust in his own outnumbered force; he turns to prayer. And his prayer is grounded in memory: he recalls how God had delivered his people before, striking down a mighty warrior by the hand of David, delivering the enemy into the hands of Jonathan. On the basis of what God had done before, he asks God to deliver again. This is a good pattern for facing what is too strong for us. When we are outmatched, facing something greater than we can handle, we can turn to prayer, and ground that prayer in remembering how God has delivered before. Recalling God's past deliverances strengthens our faith to trust him for the present need. We are not the first to face overwhelming odds; God has delivered his people before, and remembering this steadies us to ask him and trust him now. To meet what is too strong for us with prayer grounded in remembered deliverance is wise and faithful. When outmatched, prayer that recalls God's past deliverances steadies faith. Remembering how God delivered before strengthens us to trust him now. Turn to prayer, grounded in God's past faithfulness, when outmatched.

That is worth taking to heart, for when we are outmatched, facing what is too strong for us, we do well to turn to prayer and ground it in remembering how God has delivered before. We can despair when we face overwhelming odds, or trust in our own inadequate strength; but Judas, meeting a far greater army, turned to prayer and recalled how God had delivered his people in the past, and on that basis asked God to deliver again. Remembering God's past deliverances steadies our faith to trust him now. When you face what is too strong for you, turn to prayer, recalling how God has delivered before, as Judas did. When you are outmatched, facing what is too strong for you, turn to prayer and ground it in remembering how God has delivered his people before, as Judas, meeting Lysias's army of sixty-five thousand with only ten thousand men, seeing how strong it was, prayed to the Savior of Israel who had crushed a mighty warrior by the hand of David and delivered the enemy into the hands of Jonathan, and on that basis asked God to deliver again; for we can despair when facing overwhelming odds or trust in our own inadequate strength, but recalling how God has delivered his people before steadies our faith to ask him and trust him for the present need, since we are not the first to face what is too strong for us, and the God who delivered before can deliver now, so that we do well to meet what outmatches us with prayer grounded in God's remembered faithfulness.

Lord, when Lysias comes against Israel again with a great army, sixty thousand chosen infantry and five thousand cavalry, Judas meets him with only ten thousand men, and seeing how strong the opposing army is, he turns first to prayer, recalling your past deliverances. Blessed are you, O Savior of Israel, he prays, who crushed the attack of the mighty warrior by the hand of your servant David, and delivered the army into the hands of Jonathan. Facing a force far greater than his own, Judas does not despair or trust in his own strength; he prays, and grounds his prayer in remembering how you had delivered your people before, against overwhelming odds. Show me what Judas does when he sees the army is too strong for him. He does not despair, nor does he trust in his own outnumbered force; he turns to prayer. And his prayer is grounded in memory: he recalls how you had delivered your people before, striking down a mighty warrior by the hand of David, delivering the enemy into the hands of Jonathan. On the basis of what you had done before, he asks you to deliver again. This is a good pattern for facing what is too strong for me. When I am outmatched, facing something greater than I can handle, I can turn to prayer, and ground that prayer in remembering how you have delivered before. Recalling your past deliverances strengthens my faith to trust you for the present need. I am not the first to face overwhelming odds; you have delivered your people before, and remembering this steadies me. Take that to my heart, for when I am outmatched I do well to turn to prayer and ground it in remembering how you have delivered before. When I face what is too strong for me, keep me from despairing or trusting in my own inadequate strength; help me turn to prayer, Lord, recalling how you have delivered your people before, as Judas did, and on that basis ask you to deliver again, trusting that you who delivered before can deliver now.