THURSDAY, 21 January, 2021 “A Queen’s Risk”

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Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends all around the world.

Today is not only a new, unique day, as each day is… today begins a new era of American history which very likely will somehow touch your life, your city, your nation very soon. The world awakens today to a new government leadership in the USA. What will this change mean for all of us over these next months? Only God really knows.

Will you join me again in the story of Esther in the Bible, chapter 5, where their world awakened to a new day as well. The record says: “On the third day Queen Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne, facing the entrance…” (Esther 5:1)

Now if you are just today joining our journey, this seems like a romantic tale, but in fact this is a history making, very courageous moment. King Xerxes was the most powerful man in the world, and NO ONE, not even the Queen, was permitted to enter into his presence without His invitation. Violation of the king’s presence uninvited was punishable by death. No invitation had been extended to Esther for over 30 days. She was taking her life in her hands that day!

All across the Persian Empire the previous three days had been days of prayer for Jewish people at Queen Esther’s request. She had been informed by her uncle Mordecai, who had raised her as an orphan, that an evil plot had been developed and on a particular day in the near future , all across the Empire, all people of Jewish heritage were to be killed! King Xerxes did not have any idea that his Queen Esther was a Jewish woman. Nor was there any reason, other than bigotry and a desire for ethnic cleansing, that the Jews in Xerxes’ empire would be exterminated.

Queen Esther had sent word through Mordecai calling all Jews to three days of fasting and prayer, asking God to miraculously allow Esther to have an audience with King Xerxes and to tell him that she was Jewish and beg the king for mercy for her people.

My friends, when is the last time you faced such a complex, challenging situation you actually fasted and prayed, for an extended time, seeking God’s help, God’s answers, God’s guidance…maybe even a miracle?

I doubt Esther slept much the night before as she prayed and imagined what might happen to her if she appeared uninvited in front of the King’s throne room? Listen to the record: “When King Xerxes saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached the King. The king asked, ‘What is it Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given to you…” (Esther 5:2,3) It’s not difficult for us to place ourselves in that courtyard as observers is it? Do you feel a great sense of relief and also excitement for Esther?

But I have a question, an important question my friends: How much more spectacular is the throne room of God than the throne room of king Xerxes? How much more unlimited wealth and resources does God have than Xerxes had? How much more sovereign authority and power over all things in heaven and on earth does God have as compared to what Xerxes had? How much more omniscient understanding of all things past, present and future? How much more does God know about YOU, past, present and your future as compared to Xerxes? So with what attitude of heart and mind do you and I enter the sacred, holy, majestic throne room of Almighty, Holy God, when we pray?

In Esther’s story, you’ll see her request of the king was an invitation to a lavish banquet she had prepared for King Xerxes and his trusted royal official Mr. Haman. You’ll remember Haman was the man behind the plot to kill all the Jews. Of course the king didn’t know that! Surprisingly Esther’s request of the king at the banquet, was yet another invitation, to another banquet she would have prepared for the King and Mr. Haman the following day. Esther was being very careful and I believe led by the Spirit of the God of Israel, giving time for both God to work in tenderizing the King’s heart and the devil time to harden Haman’s heart.

You may recall a few days ago, January 6th to be exact, in our “Walking with Jesus” journey, we looked closely at the spiritual war raging in our world between Jesus and Satan, as seen in Daniel’s experience recorded for us in Daniel 10. Here in Esther 5, that war is plainly seen again.

My friends, please note with me in the next few verses of Esther 5 that as the King and Haman left the banquet that day they both were in high spirits, feeling blessed by the banquet they enjoyed with Queen Esther. But their hearts and minds went down two very different paths in a hurry. The king’s heart rejoiced. Haman’s heart and mind, filled with pride, turned very angry as he saw Mordecai not bow as he passed by. Listen to the record: “Haman went out from the banquet happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in Haman’s presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai.” (Esther 5:9) Look closely my friends, how does your heart respond to people who don’t treat you the way you expect or want to be treated?

The rest of chapter 5 is sadly how things often go without God. Frustration turns to anger, turns to bitterness, turns to rage and plans made to lash out and hurt people. As you read it, I wonder if this is a reflection of how some outrageously evil crowd behavior happened last summer in many cities across the USA, and why there were more than 20,000 National Guard troops called to Washington in advance of the Presidential inauguration? Or maybe in your part of the world, maybe you have seen such evil unleashed?

Now my friends, I think we should pause right here and ponder. Do you remember the wisest man of all time wrote this warning: “Above all else guard your heart, for everything you say and do flows from your heart.” (Prov. 4:23) Have you found that to be true in your life and everyone else you know?

And what about these words from Jeremiah 17:9,10 “The heart is deceitful above all things… I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” So my friends, as you and I look around the world, do we see corruption in too many people in leadership? Do we see deceit and deception and manipulation of truth? Do we see selfish pride and jealousy? Do we see the evidence of evil permeated hearts in people in positions of authority in business, education, government, entertainment, politics and even sometimes religious organizations, almost everywhere we look in the world? Does it cause you to wonder if God sees it and will God do anything about it?

In closing I invite you to read only the first 3 verses of Esther chapter 6 and try to stop there for today, if you can!! It’s a glimpse into the night after that great banquet. Nothing is said about Esther, but I imagine Esther was in her palace praying that God will powerfully protect her, guide her words and give her wisdom the next day when the king and Haman return for their second banquet and she plans to spill out the whole truth about Haman and the evil plot to exterminate all Jews, including her! Would you have slept much if you were Esther?

Haman, on the other hand is seething with anger, and has had a gallows built on which he plans to hang Mordecai the next day. I doubt Haman slept much that night as his angry, hard, corrupt heart boiled. But what about King Xerxes? As the most powerful man in the world he likely had many important matters on his mind. The record says: “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. It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed…an assassination plot against King Xerxes.

‘What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?’ the king asked. “Nothing has been done for him.’ the king’s attendants answered.” (Esther 6:1-3)

Let’s stop right there for today. Has it ever happened to you… your kindness, your efforts to help someone, your faithful work has gone unrecognized. Have you ever felt forgotten? Are you content to leave justice in God’s hands? Listen again to King Solomon’s wisdom: “The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.” (Prov. 15:3)

Thousands of people had prayed. A queen had risked her life to approach the king. A vicious, prideful man was plotting the annihilation of the Jews. A king was now reminded of a long forgotten good deed which saved his life… and God was watching, and working His mighty, amazing plan, for His glory.

Today, wherever you are in the world, whatever is going on in your life, your family, your city, your nation…God is watching and working His global plan for HIS glory. Do you trust HIM? I invite us all to spend a few moments praying, right now, for God’s hand to be upon leaders all around our world, and the Holy Spirit to guide us, all of us, in how to live our lives for God’s honor and glory, as we are surrounded by the world chaos.

Oh Lord Jesus, please, we ask You to guide us. And we ask you God to convict corruption in leadership. And please O God, guide them, guide those who are in leadership who know You and want to honor You with their lives. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Today’s Scripture is Esther 5.

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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.

Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.

Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

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