21 November 2013

Daily Reflection Verses


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Thursday – 21 November 2013
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Verses:           
1 Maccabees 2:15-29
Psalm 50:1-2, 5-6, 14-15
Luke 19:41-44

1 Maccabees 2:15-29

15 And they that were sent from king Antiochus came thither, to compel them that were fled into the city of Modin, to sacrifice, and to burn incense, and to depart from the law of God.
16 And many of the people of Israel consented, and came to them: but Mathathias and his sons stood firm.
17 And they that were sent from Antiochus, answering, said to Mathathias: Thou art a ruler, and an honourable, and great man in this city, and adorned with sons, and brethren.
18 Therefore come thou first, and obey the king's commandment, as all nations have done, and the men of Juda, and they that remain in Jerusalem: and thou, and thy sons, shall be in the number of the king's friends, and enriched with gold, and silver, and many presents.
19 Then Mathathias answered, and said with a loud voice: Although all nations obey king Antiochus, so as to depart every man from the service of the law of his fathers, and consent to his commandments:
20 I and my sons, and my brethren will obey the law of our fathers.
21 God be merciful unto us: it is not profitable for us to forsake the law, and the justices of God:
22 We will not hearken to the words of king Antiochus, neither will we sacrifice, and transgress the commandments of our law, to go another way.
23 Now as he left off speaking these words, there came a certain Jew in the sight of all to sacrifice to the idols upon the altar in the city of Modin, according to the king's commandment.
24 And Mathathias saw and was grieved, and his reins trembled, and his wrath was kindled according to the judgment of the law, and running upon him he slew him upon the altar:
25 Moreover the man whom king Antiochus had sent, who compelled them to sacrifice, he slew at the same time, and pulled down the altar.
26 And shewed zeal for the law, as Phinees did by Zamri the son of Salomi.
27 And Mathathias cried out in the city with a loud voice, saying: Every one that hath zeal for the law, and maintaineth the testament, let him follow me.
28 So he, and his sons fled into the mountains, and left all that they had in the city.
29 Then many that sought after judgment, and justice, went down into the desert.


Psalm 50:1-2, 5-6, 14-15

50 Unto the end, a psalm of David,
When Nathan the prophet came to him after he had sinned with Bethsabee.
For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me.
To thee only have I sinned, and have done evil before thee: that thou mayst be justified in thy words and mayst overcome when thou art judged.
14 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and strengthen me with a perfect spirit.
15 I will teach the unjust thy ways: and the wicked shall be converted to thee.


Luke 19:41-44

41 And when he drew near, seeing the city, he wept over it, saying:
42 If thou also hadst known, and that in this thy day, the things that are to thy peace; but now they are hidden from thy eyes.
43 For the days shall come upon thee, and thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and straiten thee on every side,
44 And beat thee flat to the ground, and thy children who are in thee: and they shall not leave in thee a stone upon a stone: because thou hast not known the time of thy visitation.



INSIGHTFUL WISDOM

ZEAL AND LOVE
He burned with zeal and his heart was stirred. – 1 Maccabees 2:24
In one of our mission communities, a particular woman caught my attention because she had never been absent since our first gathering, and she would faithfully bring all her children with her. She would intensely listen to the preaching of God’s Word. We learned that her husband left them without any financial support.
At one point, her son had leukemia. She claimed God’s promise, “Ask, and it will be given to you… knock, and the door will be opened for you” (Matt. 7:7). Her prayer was for an extension of her son’s life because according to the doctor, the child had only three months to live. But she learned that she ought to surrender to God’s will, whatever it might be. And God answered her prayer. Her son lived for more than a year after that. When it was time for him to go home to the Lord, he was spiritually prepared and she was also emotionally prepared.
Now, she still attends our prayer meetings and serves in our restroom ministry with zeal born out of experiencing God’s love and mercy. – Sabel


Prayer:
Lord, thank You for Your love and mercy towards Your servants. Amen.

Wise Words:
“If we will only surrender ourselves utterly to the Lord, and will trust Him perfectly, we shall find our souls ‘mounting up with wings as eagles’ to the ‘heavenly places’ in Christ Jesus, where earthly annoyances or sorrows have no power to disturb us.” – Hannah Whitall Smith


Source:
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
Living Water 2013