This morning, I was kind of dreading writing another thing about Esther, and yet kind of hopeful as well. The last couple of weeks have been a bit of an emotional roller coaster for me. Up, down, twist, turn, upside down, right side up again.....This morning I was feeling particularly drained and worn and in need of some serious time with my Father. I shared my heart with Him and, as always, He encouraged me. However, the roller coaster that I am on seems to not be quite over yet. So, with some hesitation and expectation, I opened my Bible this morning to see what God had shared with me over a month ago in the book of Esther; knowing full well it would speak directly to where I am right now. Hopefully looking for encouragement and yet somewhat dreading the rod of correction I knew it would bring. And sure enough, at the top of Chapter Five of Esther, I had written: Proper Timing and Patience. So, here goes, this may be more for me than you, but I pray that as you read it, you will also be blessed.
In Chapter Five, Esther has just completed three days of fasting and praying. She dressed herself in her royal clothes and she approached the King. He graciously received her and seemed to obviously see that Esther was in distress because his first question to her was, "What is troubling you, Queen Esther?" At this point, Esther could have blurted it all out. I think that is what I might have done. I might have started crying, blubbering, and pouring out in a million and one words the heaviness that laid on my heart. But Esther didn't do that. From what I read, she stayed poised and calm and invites the King and Haman to a banquet which she is going to prepare for them. At this point of the story, I want to say "Stop the story and wait a second." How can she wine and dine and even serve when her heart must have been beating wildly inside her chest? How can she serve the man, Haman, who has already vowed to kill her people? How can she remain so calm? I have to take myself back a bit to Chapter 4 where the answer to these questions lie. Maybe she was nervous, but I believe her poise, her peace, came from the fact that for three days she had fasted, prayed, and sought after the heart of her Heavenly Father. In His presence she had received His strength and His peace which passes all understanding. It covered her during this time.
The King accepted the invitation as did Haman. And when the time came, the King asked Esther again what her petition and request were. Again, Esther invited them to another meal, another banquet, another night of feasting. The King accepted and Haman went out from the meal very happy and pleased. He went home, slightly bothered by the sight of Mordecai in the Kings gate, and spoke to his family of all his wealth, status, and good standing with the Queen. All this he had and yet he just wouldn't be content until that awful Mordecai was gone. His family suggested he build some gallows and hang Mordecai on it the next day. This greatly pleased Haman and he did just that.
In all this, things did not look like they are going well for Esther. If I was her, again, I would be filled with anxiety, worry, and an urgency to have Haman dealt with. But Esther stayed calm. It makes me wonder a bit what God shared with her in those three days of fasting and prayer. Did He reveal His plan to her? I don't think so. God often doesn't reveal His full plan to us.....but He does offer us His peace.
I love Esther's patience. No hurry. No rush in a seemingly urgent situation. Instead she patiently waited..........and let God work.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Esther: Proceed With Prayer
I continue on with my study of Esther in Chapter 4. Again so simple, yet profound.
Esther is confronted with a problem. A big problem. Her people, the Jews, have a price on their heads and the date for their assassination has been set. Her uncle asked Esther to intervene, to use her position to influence the King and possibly change his mind about the edict he had signed. Esther had a problem and a decision to make. Would she intervene? And if she did, would she be accepted by the King or rejected? If she didn't intervene, the Jews would all be killed, and as she was reminded of by her uncle, she would also be killed once her nationality was discovered. If she did intervene, Esther was taking the chance of being rejected by the King and killed. She had a lot to think about.
The thing I love about this is with all this urgency, with all this stress, with all this burden, Esther did not rush to a conclusion or an answer. She did not make a snap decision. She did not even seem to panic. In fact, she did the opposite. She slowed down.......
........And proceeded with prayer.
I love that, because I don't often proceed with prayer right away in the middle of my stress or as I feel the heaviness of a burden on my shoulders, or I am needing to make a decision. I usually panic, question, cry, fret, worry......you name it, I probably do it. I try to figure it all out on my own. What am I going to do? How can I possibly fix this? I weigh the pros and cons and try to look at every angle.....
........And I exhaust myself.
It is always at the end of my rope that I finally pray. I hate to admit it, but it is the truth. It is at the point of complete exhaustion that I say, "Daddy, God, help me. Tell me what to do." I desire to be like Esther. I'm sure she felt some of those same emotions I do, especially in her situation; which quite frankly is WAY worse than anything I have ever dealt with. I am sure she had a sense of worry, concern, fear........
........And yet her first step was to pray.
She didn't seem to necessarily give into her feelings. She said, "You know what? I need to pray. I need to go to the Author and Finisher of my faith and ask Him what to do. That is my first step." And not only that, but she gathered others around her to pray, seek, and fast as well. It was not her last option to turn to........
........Prayer was her first option.
There is no need to worry, not need to fret, no need to exhaust myself when prayer becomes my first option. When it is all laid down at the feet of my Father, then there is no longer any room for worry. At His feet, in His presence, and under His care and provision there is simply peace even in the midst of the chaos.
Esther is confronted with a problem. A big problem. Her people, the Jews, have a price on their heads and the date for their assassination has been set. Her uncle asked Esther to intervene, to use her position to influence the King and possibly change his mind about the edict he had signed. Esther had a problem and a decision to make. Would she intervene? And if she did, would she be accepted by the King or rejected? If she didn't intervene, the Jews would all be killed, and as she was reminded of by her uncle, she would also be killed once her nationality was discovered. If she did intervene, Esther was taking the chance of being rejected by the King and killed. She had a lot to think about.
The thing I love about this is with all this urgency, with all this stress, with all this burden, Esther did not rush to a conclusion or an answer. She did not make a snap decision. She did not even seem to panic. In fact, she did the opposite. She slowed down.......
........And proceeded with prayer.
I love that, because I don't often proceed with prayer right away in the middle of my stress or as I feel the heaviness of a burden on my shoulders, or I am needing to make a decision. I usually panic, question, cry, fret, worry......you name it, I probably do it. I try to figure it all out on my own. What am I going to do? How can I possibly fix this? I weigh the pros and cons and try to look at every angle.....
........And I exhaust myself.
It is always at the end of my rope that I finally pray. I hate to admit it, but it is the truth. It is at the point of complete exhaustion that I say, "Daddy, God, help me. Tell me what to do." I desire to be like Esther. I'm sure she felt some of those same emotions I do, especially in her situation; which quite frankly is WAY worse than anything I have ever dealt with. I am sure she had a sense of worry, concern, fear........
........And yet her first step was to pray.
She didn't seem to necessarily give into her feelings. She said, "You know what? I need to pray. I need to go to the Author and Finisher of my faith and ask Him what to do. That is my first step." And not only that, but she gathered others around her to pray, seek, and fast as well. It was not her last option to turn to........
........Prayer was her first option.
There is no need to worry, not need to fret, no need to exhaust myself when prayer becomes my first option. When it is all laid down at the feet of my Father, then there is no longer any room for worry. At His feet, in His presence, and under His care and provision there is simply peace even in the midst of the chaos.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Fear In the Dark
That is what happens to us in the dark, though. Even the most simple and harmless thing begins to look like danger to us. We get scared, we fret, our pulse raises and so do our emotions. We are on edge and jump at every sound. What a difference it would make if we would just turn on the light of the truth of Jesus Christ......it would all fade away. We would see that it was nothing but a harmless piece of whatever, or maybe there wasn't even anything there to begin with. His light chases away every shadow and ushers in His peace which passes all understanding.
If you have something in your life right now that you are feeling fearful about, I encourage you to flip the switch and shed the light of God's truth on the subject. I guarantee you that in His light, grace, strength, and victory your fear will flee; just like the shadows, as you rest in Him. He has already conquered whatever it is that you are facing. His perfect love will light your "room" and cast out all fear.
Esther: Words
Lesson number two came to me as I read Ester Chapter 3. It is nothing fancy and again seems so simple to me, yet cut to my heart which the word of God is good at doing (Hebrews 4:12). A gentle reminder to be ever so careful with my words.
Chapter 3 opens up with the promotion of Haman by the King. All the people were expected to pay homage to Haman and to bow down to him. However, Mordecai refused to do either simply because his allegiance belonged only to God. This infuriated Haman and it did not take long before he wanted to annihilate all of the Jews because of Mordecai's actions. Then we come to verse 8, this is where I felt the Word of God speak to my heart:
"Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of all other people, and they do not observe the king's laws, so it is not in the king's interest to let them remain."
While this statement about the Jews is somewhat true; they were a certain people, they did serve the law of God and not necessarily man's law, and they did not observe the kings laws, he left out a few important details. While they served they law of God and not necessarily man's law, that did not mean they disrespected the King or his mandates. It simply meant God's law was first in their lives and if a man made law contradicted it, they would follow the law of God instead of the law of man. Secondly, it was not ALL the laws nor was it ALL the people not observing the king's laws. It was one law and one man. However, because of the way Haman portrayed the people of Israel, King Ahasuerus agreed with him, this subservient group of people needed to go.
Ok, so you may be asking, what is the lesson in this, what is the big deal? The thing I felt God speak to my heart was this: Haman committed character assassination. He was angry and out of his anger he told a bit of a lie, hidden in a truth, in order to get his own way, to satisfy his own selfish desires, and to get revenge. And the question I felt laid in my heart was this: how often do I do the very same thing? How often do I feel hurt, wounded, or angry about something or someone? Maybe they didn't do something I wanted them to do or maybe they said something that hurt my feelings. Either way, I am left feeling angry at them and their actions and the easiest thing to do is to begin to assassinate their character. Sometimes, I just do it in the quietness of my mind where it festers. Other times, I let it spill out like sewage onto others, just like Haman did. The consequences of which do not only affect me or the person I am angry at; but it often can affect a larger group of people: all of those who hear my words, which can begin to lay like a bitter poison in their own hearts, and can bring death to them. Just like with Haman, his anger affected him and Mordecai, but it didn't stop there. It was going to affect and destroy a whole nation.
Wow. As I sit here typing this, the gravity of it is really hitting me, (please be patient with me as I think out loud) especially when I think about the church. It is bad enough in a public setting to speak down on someone, but in a church setting, it can bring death to the church body.
Galatians 5:15 speaks to this:
"If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other."
I am not going to write it all down here, because it is a little long, but I am thankful for the encouragement in the rest of that chapter especially the admonition in verse 25 and 26 to keep in step with Spirit and to not continue in envying and provoking one another.
Again, wow. Like Pastor Don Smith would say, "This is a heavy." It is a lot for me to think about. Letting my words only bring encouragement and life to others is something I desire to continue to grow in.
My word of encouragement today:
"Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another." John 13:34 The Message
(The following link will take you to a song by Hawk Nelson called Words. I felt it layed on my heart as I typed this blog. If you have the other music playing already from my blog, you will have to shut that off first so that you can hear this.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bf_H7Lwl0FI
Chapter 3 opens up with the promotion of Haman by the King. All the people were expected to pay homage to Haman and to bow down to him. However, Mordecai refused to do either simply because his allegiance belonged only to God. This infuriated Haman and it did not take long before he wanted to annihilate all of the Jews because of Mordecai's actions. Then we come to verse 8, this is where I felt the Word of God speak to my heart:
"Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of all other people, and they do not observe the king's laws, so it is not in the king's interest to let them remain."
While this statement about the Jews is somewhat true; they were a certain people, they did serve the law of God and not necessarily man's law, and they did not observe the kings laws, he left out a few important details. While they served they law of God and not necessarily man's law, that did not mean they disrespected the King or his mandates. It simply meant God's law was first in their lives and if a man made law contradicted it, they would follow the law of God instead of the law of man. Secondly, it was not ALL the laws nor was it ALL the people not observing the king's laws. It was one law and one man. However, because of the way Haman portrayed the people of Israel, King Ahasuerus agreed with him, this subservient group of people needed to go.
Ok, so you may be asking, what is the lesson in this, what is the big deal? The thing I felt God speak to my heart was this: Haman committed character assassination. He was angry and out of his anger he told a bit of a lie, hidden in a truth, in order to get his own way, to satisfy his own selfish desires, and to get revenge. And the question I felt laid in my heart was this: how often do I do the very same thing? How often do I feel hurt, wounded, or angry about something or someone? Maybe they didn't do something I wanted them to do or maybe they said something that hurt my feelings. Either way, I am left feeling angry at them and their actions and the easiest thing to do is to begin to assassinate their character. Sometimes, I just do it in the quietness of my mind where it festers. Other times, I let it spill out like sewage onto others, just like Haman did. The consequences of which do not only affect me or the person I am angry at; but it often can affect a larger group of people: all of those who hear my words, which can begin to lay like a bitter poison in their own hearts, and can bring death to them. Just like with Haman, his anger affected him and Mordecai, but it didn't stop there. It was going to affect and destroy a whole nation.
Wow. As I sit here typing this, the gravity of it is really hitting me, (please be patient with me as I think out loud) especially when I think about the church. It is bad enough in a public setting to speak down on someone, but in a church setting, it can bring death to the church body.
Galatians 5:15 speaks to this:
"If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other."
I am not going to write it all down here, because it is a little long, but I am thankful for the encouragement in the rest of that chapter especially the admonition in verse 25 and 26 to keep in step with Spirit and to not continue in envying and provoking one another.
Again, wow. Like Pastor Don Smith would say, "This is a heavy." It is a lot for me to think about. Letting my words only bring encouragement and life to others is something I desire to continue to grow in.
My word of encouragement today:
"Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another." John 13:34 The Message
(The following link will take you to a song by Hawk Nelson called Words. I felt it layed on my heart as I typed this blog. If you have the other music playing already from my blog, you will have to shut that off first so that you can hear this.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bf_H7Lwl0FI
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Esther: Ordinary and Yet Chosen
I absolutely love the book of Esther and about a month ago I decided to read through Esther for my devotional time. I never imagined that God would speak so many simple truths to me through this book. It started for me in chapter 2:
Lesson 1: An Ordinary Girl
Esther 2:8 "So it came about when the command and decree of the king were heard and many young ladies were gathered to Susa the capital into the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken to the kings palace into the custody of Hegai, who was in charge of the women."
Esther was just like all the other girls. All of them gathered together from their homes and taken to the palace as a potential spouse for the King. Who knows how they must have been feeling? Scared. Uncertain. Alone. Angry. Excited. Expectant. Maybe a bit of all of these combined. I used to think the girls must of been very upset about being taken. Maybe they were. The choice was not up to them. They were simply teenage girls taken from their parents. Who knows whether they were already in love; saddened and heart broken because their lives were being changed. And yet, on the other hand, maybe they were excited. After all, they were taken from their homes; the Bible doesn't specify whether these girls came from wealthy homes, but I can't imagine their ordinary homes were anything like the lavish lifestyle they were soon to experience at the palace.
We do know, though, that Esther was an orphan raised by her cousin Mordecai. We know Mordecai cared for Esther like she was his own daughter, loved her, and had deep concern for her well being. But other than that, we know very little about Esther. She was just an ordinary girl. And yet, she found favor and she was chosen, hand picked by God, for a very special reason. And this is the part I love!
Ordinary and yet chosen. Ordinary and yet favored. Ordinary and yet usable. What special words those are and what hope they bring!
We are ordinary. Nothing special. Not better than or greater than any other human being on this planet. And yet, all of us, though ordinary, have been chosen. Favored. And are usable. We are precious in the eyes of our Heavenly Father who has hand picked each one of us for a very special reason. Each one of us given a specific purpose, a special calling, only we can fill. So many times, and I am speaking for myself, we forget who we really are. We fall into a rut of believing a lie that we are nothing special, unusable, forgotten, unloved. Because in fact, we are after all, just ordinary. Yes, we are ordinary, but a very unordinary God loves us and has called us His and that very fact changes us.
I encourage you, as I encourage myself, you may be ordinary, but don't forget who has called you by name. Don't forget you are His child. Don't forget the one who knows the very number of hairs on your head. Don't forget that He has called out of the ordinary, just like He did Esther, and has placed you in the perfect place; at the perfect time, to work in you and through you for His glory.
No matter where you are today or what you are doing remember this, though ordinary you are a child of the most high King. Though ordinary, you have been called by your Heavenly Father into a love relationship with Him. Though ordinary, you are chosen and priceless. Though ordinary, He has a special purpose and calling on your life. Though ordinary, He is going to use you and will use you for the glory of His name!
Lesson 1: An Ordinary Girl
Esther 2:8 "So it came about when the command and decree of the king were heard and many young ladies were gathered to Susa the capital into the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken to the kings palace into the custody of Hegai, who was in charge of the women."
Esther was just like all the other girls. All of them gathered together from their homes and taken to the palace as a potential spouse for the King. Who knows how they must have been feeling? Scared. Uncertain. Alone. Angry. Excited. Expectant. Maybe a bit of all of these combined. I used to think the girls must of been very upset about being taken. Maybe they were. The choice was not up to them. They were simply teenage girls taken from their parents. Who knows whether they were already in love; saddened and heart broken because their lives were being changed. And yet, on the other hand, maybe they were excited. After all, they were taken from their homes; the Bible doesn't specify whether these girls came from wealthy homes, but I can't imagine their ordinary homes were anything like the lavish lifestyle they were soon to experience at the palace.
We do know, though, that Esther was an orphan raised by her cousin Mordecai. We know Mordecai cared for Esther like she was his own daughter, loved her, and had deep concern for her well being. But other than that, we know very little about Esther. She was just an ordinary girl. And yet, she found favor and she was chosen, hand picked by God, for a very special reason. And this is the part I love!
Ordinary and yet chosen. Ordinary and yet favored. Ordinary and yet usable. What special words those are and what hope they bring!
We are ordinary. Nothing special. Not better than or greater than any other human being on this planet. And yet, all of us, though ordinary, have been chosen. Favored. And are usable. We are precious in the eyes of our Heavenly Father who has hand picked each one of us for a very special reason. Each one of us given a specific purpose, a special calling, only we can fill. So many times, and I am speaking for myself, we forget who we really are. We fall into a rut of believing a lie that we are nothing special, unusable, forgotten, unloved. Because in fact, we are after all, just ordinary. Yes, we are ordinary, but a very unordinary God loves us and has called us His and that very fact changes us.
I encourage you, as I encourage myself, you may be ordinary, but don't forget who has called you by name. Don't forget you are His child. Don't forget the one who knows the very number of hairs on your head. Don't forget that He has called out of the ordinary, just like He did Esther, and has placed you in the perfect place; at the perfect time, to work in you and through you for His glory.
No matter where you are today or what you are doing remember this, though ordinary you are a child of the most high King. Though ordinary, you have been called by your Heavenly Father into a love relationship with Him. Though ordinary, you are chosen and priceless. Though ordinary, He has a special purpose and calling on your life. Though ordinary, He is going to use you and will use you for the glory of His name!
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