THE STORY OF JESUS: Esther 6:1-5 “That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him.” (Esther 6:1) History is filled with many, many tiny details like “the king could not sleep”. Wars have been won and lost because…
See you at the pole!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Esther 5:10-14 “Have a pole set up… and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled on it.” (Esther 5:14) For the Jews, death by the pole was the ultimate death penalty. “If someone guilty of a capital offense is put to death and their body is exposed on a pole,…
What’s behind my mood swings?
THE STORY OF JESUS: Esther 5:5-10 “Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai… he was filled with rage. (Esther 5:9) Haman switches from high spirits to being filled with rage. What do both of these moods have in common? They are both rooted in his selfishness, his being full…
Throne of grace!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Esther 5:1-5 “He was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand.” (Esther 5:2) There is something disturbing to me about this picture. Esther, unworthy, desperately hoping to please the king, to not be killed. A mere bug, before a mighty giant, who could be…
Whether we live or die!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Esther 4:12-17 “I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16) For Esther her commitment to serve exceeds her commitment to live. She compares living but saying nothing, with speaking out and possibly dying. This is about doing what is right,…
God’s timing for you!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Esther 4:6-17 “And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”” (Esther 4:14) Timing is everything. Why am I here at this time, with these gifts and resources, with this education? Why have these things happened, why am I living in this time in…
God wants you to help!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Esther 4:6-14 “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish.” (Esther 4:14) We are free to love or hate, to do good, or do bad, or do nothing. God created us with free will,…
Why are we NOT troubled?
THE STORY OF JESUS: Esther 4:1-5 “Mordecai… tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly.” (Esther 4:1) Much has been made of the shortest verse in the bible: “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35). In those two words, we see the heart of the whole bible. Somehow, the God in…
Good news is for sharing!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Esther 3:12-15 “The couriers went out, spurred on by the king’s command…” (Esther 3:15) Why is it that gossip or bad news seems to travel so fast. Why is it that we are so hesitant to compliment, but so quick to criticize? Why is there so much more bad news than good news…
God has other plans!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Esther 3:7-11 “The pur (that is, the lot) was cast in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.” (Esther 3:7) Nowhere in this book is God mentioned at all. But God is here in this story, as He…