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2 Maccabees 15:9 "Encouraging them from the law and the prophets, and reminding them also of the struggles they had won, he made them more eager."

 

Judas Maccabeus is preparing his men for a battle with the proud and powerful Nicanor, the general of the Syrian army who had been given the mission of destroying Judah and Jerusalem (1 Maccabees 3:38-39), and who "in his utter boastfulness and arrogance had determined to erect a public monument of victory over Judas and his men." (2 Maccabees 15:6). Judas himself "did not cease to trust with all his confidence that he would get help from the Lord" (2 Maccabees 15:7) and "he exhorted his men not to fear the attack of the Gentiles, but to keep in mind the former times when help had come to them from heaven, and now to look for the victory which the Almighty would give them." And God did give the Jewish rebels victory that day (2 Maccabees 15:27).

 

When facing seemingly impossible odds and the pride of earthly powers we should always remember we have God on our side and He cannot be defeated. If we have truly given ourselves over to Him and are prepared fight for Him and to accept His will at any cost, we can, like Judas, not cease to trust with all confidence that we will get help from Him. Like the Maccabees, we have the law and prophets to show us the way and give us hope, but we also have Jesus Christ. We take our strength and guidance from Him, we remember the ultimate struggle that He won, and how He promised to be with us always, and we do not fear even as we face the prideful powers of this world. Often when we just resist with faith, we quickly learn that those to whom we are opposed are not all that powerful after all. 

 

Someone in my wonderful small town community has recently proposed a Pride festival here. The Facebook responses were, of course, all positive and encouraging, but my heart sank. For some reason, good people do not seem to see or understand the damage celebrations of "Pride" do to society, especially children. They truly seem to know not what they do. But trusting with all confidence that those of us who do see the danger will get help from the Lord, I began praying, and asking others to as well. Much greater struggles than this have been won through prayer and trust. We remember those times, as well as the struggles we ourselves have won through prayer, as we fight "Pride" with trust (and love).