Judith 6:10-21: a reflection

10Then Holofernes commanded his servants who waited in his tent to take Achior, and bring him back to Bethulia, and deliver him into the hands of the children of Israel. 11So his servants took him, and brought him out of the camp into the plain, and they moved from the midst of the plains into the hill country, and came to the springs that were under Bethulia. 12When the men of the city saw them on the top of the hill, they took up their weapons, and went out of the city against them to the top of the hill. Every man that used a sling kept them from coming up, and threw stones at them. 13They took cover under the hill, bound Achior, cast him down, left him at the foot of the hill, and went away to their lord. 14But the children of Israel descended from their city, and came to him, untied him, led him away into Bethulia, and presented him to the rulers of their city, 15which were in those days Ozias the son of Micah, of the tribe of Simeon, and Chabris the son of Gothoniel, and Charmis the son of Melchiel. 16Then they called together all the elders of the city; and all their young men ran together, with their women, to the assembly. They set Achior in the midst of all their people. Then Ozias asked him what had happened. 17He answered and declared to them the words of the council of Holofernes, and all the words that he had spoken in the midst of the princes of the children of Asshur, and all the great words that Holofernes had spoken against the house of Israel. 18Then the people fell down and worshiped God, and cried, saying, 19“O Lord God of heaven, behold their arrogance, and pity the low estate of our race. Look upon the face of those who are sanctified to you this day.” 20They comforted Achior, and praised him exceedingly. 21Then Ozias took him out of the assembly into his house, and made a feast for the elders. They called on the God of Israel for help all that night.

Achior, cast out by the enemy general Holofernes, is rescued by the people of the besieged town of Bethulia and brought before them. He tells them everything Holofernes said, all the arrogant threats the enemy had made against them, and the great words spoken against God's people. It is a terrifying report, the full weight of the enemy's confidence and menace laid before a frightened town. And notice their response: the people fell down and worshiped God, and cried out to him for help, and they called on God all that night.

Notice what the people did with their fear. Faced with a terrifying report of the enemy's arrogance and threat, they did not collapse into despair, nor scramble in panic; they fell down and worshiped, and cried out to God. They took the threat and turned it immediately into prayer, laying their fear and their helplessness before the God of heaven, asking him to look on their low estate and help them. Their first response to the fearful news was to seek God.

That is a pattern worth imitating when we face our own frightening reports, a threat, a diagnosis, a menace we cannot handle. The instinct is to panic or despair; the better way is the people of Bethulia's: to turn the fear immediately into prayer, to fall down and worship, to cry out to God for help. When a fearful report comes, do not first spiral into dread. Take it to God. Fall down and worship, cry out for help, and lay your helplessness before the God who can save. Turn your fear into prayer.

Lord, hearing the enemy's terrifying threats, the people of Bethulia fell down and worshiped you and cried out for help all night. When I face my own frightening reports, a threat, a diagnosis, a menace I cannot handle, keep me from spiraling into panic and despair. Teach me to do what they did: to turn my fear immediately into prayer, to worship and cry out to you, laying my helplessness before you. Help me turn my fear into prayer, and to seek you first.