June 15 - They Prayed and Saw The Lord Respond Mercifully

Cindy Rae Fancher
5 days ago
2 min read

They prayed and saw the Lord respond mercifully to Jerusalem.

Judas Maccabeus enlisted those who had remained faithful to God. They prayed and saw the Lord respond mercifully to Jerusalem in response to their prayers.

For they, said he, trust in their weapons and boldness; but our confidence is in the Almighty who at a beck can cast down both them that come against us, and also all the world.

Moreover, he recounted unto them what helps their forefathers had found, and how they were delivered, when under Sennacherib an hundred fourscore and five thousand perished.

And he told them of the battle that they had in Babylon with the Galatians, how they came but eight thousand in all to the business, with four thousand Macedonians, and that the Macedonians being perplexed, the eight thousand destroyed an hundred and twenty thousand because of the help that they had from heaven, and so received a great booty.

Thus when he had made them bold with these words, and ready to die for the law and the country, he divided his army into four parts; (2 Maccabees 8.18-21 King James Version (KJV) Online)

Judas shared wondrous stories of their ancestors who fought gallantly and bravely for their beliefs. By telling the stories, Judas encouraged and strengthened his men in faith and trust in God to deliver victory. As a result, they defeated Nicanor and retrieved many Jews who were captured for slavery. They went on to fight and win many battles through their faith. Conflicts that had overwhelmingly more soldiers than Judah's army.

Would you be willing to experience what our ancestors did for your faith? How far would you go in your service to the Lord?

Prayer:

Listening, Lord, I know from Scripture you listen intently to your people. Believers, change your heart with a plea. I do not seek to change your heart, but to thank you for the opportunity to learn about the Bible's fantastic people and to begin to have a much better understanding of the heroes who have walked before me. Heroes were willing to sacrifice everything for their belief in you and what you could accomplish. Thank you for loving people so much that you listen to us. I am grateful. Please help me emulate your listening skills with others so that I might hear what would most touch them, and then bring that to them so they can grow in their relationship with you. Amen.