FRIDAY, 22 January, 2021 “3 Words”

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Good Friday to you my “Walking with Jesus” friends.

As the world continues to shake from the events of this week in Washington DC, I invite you to consider the power of 3 word phrases. Phrases like these:

“I was wrong” / “I am sorry” / “Please forgive me” / “I am listening” / “I understand you” / “I love you” / “I forgive you” / “Together we can” / “United we stand” / “Divided we fall” / “Tell the Truth” / “put others first” / “Trust and Obey” / “God loves you” / “God is Sovereign”

I wonder what 3 word phrases have you found to be very powerful in your life, my friends? In these chaotic days God is showing us some important lessons for life and even for a healthy society, in the story of Esther in the Bible. Yesterday we left Queen Esther, King Xerxes, and Mr. Haman, an important official in the Persian Empire, all having a sleepless night, on the eve of what would become one of the most important events of all time in the History of the people of Israel. You’ll find it in Esther chapter 6.

If over these last several weeks you have been tracking the chronology with us, the year of this event was 473bc. Let’s pick up the story in Esther 6:1, as King Xerxes, the most powerful man in the world, unable to sleep that night, asks that the official record of his kingdom be read to him. There he is reminded of a foiled assassination plot and inquires as to what was done to honor Mr. Mordecai who had saved his life. “Nothing has ever been done for him”, was the answer, and the king began to ponder how to correct this oversight, this injustice, and honor Mr. Mordecai.

Evidently Haman was so excited about the devilish plan that he had devised to exterminate all the Jews in the entire Persian kingdom, and in particular his plan to kill Mordecai, that he couldn’t wait until morning to speak with the King about it. Feeling very confident that he was such a special official among the king’s leaders, the king would surely make time to receive his late night visit, Haman came to the palace uninvited that night. Amazingly, at the same time the king was pondering how to honor Mordecai, who the record showed, had saved the king’s life.

What happens next is almost too good to be true so I just invite you to read Esther 6, or maybe better yet, listen to the audio dramatic Bible version at the conclusion of today’s “Walking with Jesus”. As you listen, you’ll feel you are there, in the Persian kingdom throne room, almost 2500 years ago.

Too often do you feel good deeds go unrewarded and evil deeds unpunished? Well here, justice is done in an amazing way as Haman does receive an audience with the king, in the middle of the night, but it sure isn’t what he expected! It calls us to consider, are we willing to trust God with His ultimate Justice, when all around us corruption and greed seem to flourish, and the truth is rejected or ignored, and honorable behavior is mocked? Do you remember this powerful promise from God: “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:13)

Millions of people, both in America and around the world, have been questioning the integrity of the American political system for many years, but it particularly came to focus in this recent national, Presidential election, didn’t it? “Corrupt government” is a phrase the American media has used to describe and demean other nations in Africa or the Islands, or South America, or Central Asia, or for that matter almost ‘everywhere else’ in the world. But in 2020 those words “corrupt government” were often used by Americans to describe American politics. Also, many Americans used the phrase “corrupt media” to describe the news reporting!

In our story with Esther, government corruption was unveiled, as Queen Esther put her life on the line to expose Mr. Haman and the horrible holocaust plan which he had devised to exterminate all Jews in the entire Persian kingdom, in one day. When finally given the moment to speak to the king Esther said it this way: “Your Majesty, if it pleases you, grant me my life, this is my petition. And spare my people, this is my request. For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated…” (Esther 7:3,4)

Nothing could have shocked King Xerxes more, for he had no idea that Esther, his queen, was Hadassah by birth, was a Jewish woman! King Xerxes asked ‘3 word questions’: “Who is he? Where is he? The man who has dared to do such a thing? Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen.” The light of truth penetrating the darkness of evil can be a terrifying and glorious thing, especially when God is pushing back the darkness, exposing the evil, and bringing about justice!

May I ask, how do you respond when you hear of injustice, or bigotry or prejudice or deceitfulness or outright, boldface lying? Especially if you are dealing with big government or big business or the established order of things. Do you feel you have few options, little recourse when faced with what is clearly wrong? Esther felt that way, so the first thing she did was call her people to pray, asking God to guide His people, and then to intervene in the evil. May I point out something you might not have noticed about this Bible book of Esther? The name of God is not mentioned, even once, in the original manuscript of this book of Esther! But the ‘fingerprint’ of God, the evidence of God at work, is everywhere in this story. Now, can you make the application to your life and the corruption or deceitfulness all around you, no matter where you live in the world?

When Esther spread the word calling her people to pray, no one asked ‘who should we pray to’? Nor did anyone ask, ‘who should we invite to join us in this prayer’? They didn’t even ask ‘what should we pray about’? Everyone knew it was the Jews, God’s people Israel, who were targeted for death and should pray, and they all knew there was only one place to go with prayer… the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David… the Almighty God of Israel. So where do you and I go when we need help? To whom do we pray, and how do we pray, and what are we praying for in these confusing times of COVID and political chaos?

Just as you listened to the audio, dramatic Bible reading of Esther 6, now I invite you to listen to Esther 7, and watch how God reaches into a frightening, horrific, unjust situation, and calls Mr. Haman to account for his evil plot. Haman had constructed a gallows on which he had planned for Mordecai to be publicly humiliated and executed, but instead it was Haman who was killed on his own constructed execution device. What a dramatic turn of events in little more than 24 hours!!

Mordecai is honored and elevated by the king in public gratitude for saving the king’s life. Haman is humiliated and executed for his evil plot to kill all Jews, including Queen Esther. What a difference one day can make, when the bright light of TRUTH shines into the darkness of deceit, corruption, and wickedness.

Does this bring to mind how John, the dear friend of Jesus, spoke about Jesus’ life in our dark, corrupt world? “This is the message we have heard from Jesus and declare to you: God is light, in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have a relationship with God, and yet we walk in the darkness, we lie and we are not living in the truth. But if we walk in the light of truth, as Jesus is in the light of truth, we will have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, God’s Son, will purify us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Jesus out to be a liar, and His word is not in us.” (1 John 1:5-10)

In closing today my friends, after you listen to Esther 6 & 7 in the audio, dramatic Bible, I urge us all to pray, asking God to show us anything in ourselves, any attitude, any habit, any choices which are dishonoring to Him. Are those things fostering darkness in our lives, our families, our churches, our societies?

If God convicts you or me, my friends…three word phrases like these are powerful: “Jesus help me” “God, forgive me”, “God, cleanse me”. Those are phrases of hope, of change, of repentance, and they invite the powerful work of God in a person! Then, after God does that work in us, we can live Spirit cleansed and filled, Jesus led, God honoring lives in a world that’s full of corruption. Let’s bring the light of God’s Truth into the darkness of our world, like Jesus did!

Today’s Scripture is Esther 6.

Choose below to read or listen.

Esther 7

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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