What makes us take notice when a child cries?
I had to stop and think about the meaning for recording the events that took place in the ninth chapter of the book of Esther. I read a dramatic story filled with royalty, servant hood, chivalry, rivalry and justice. It tells of a man who worked so hard to please the king and was rewarded with a promotion that landed him in a position to control the actions and even take the lives of those who challenged his beliefs. Then there was the servant of the king that had been loyal and brave. He had even once saved the King's life long before this time. But without the Queen and her bravery and faith, this story would have ended much different. She was placed in a very strategic position for this important time in the history of the nation of Israel. You may be thinking,"What's all this got to do with how we react to a child's cry?". Let's look at today's passage so you can see for yourself;
Esther 9:30-31 And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth,
31 To confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry.
One hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus received that letter on the day spoken of in this passage. A letter with words of peace and truth written in them. This was a letter that meant "life" for the LORD's children on this earth! This letter meant "posterity" for their nation and the generations to come! Without knowing the events that led up to the writing of this letter, you may never realize just how much this actually impacts your life today. If this letter had not been written, we may not have even had a Bible from which to study in the comfort of our own homes today. This letter was a letter of triumph made possible by the hand of God.
There had been a servant of the King who wanted ALL of the children of God to be destroyed and removed from the face of the earth. That man's name was Haman and he had a plan to take such control that he could even destroy the lives of anybody he chose. What could have caused a man to become so cold hearted? What could have caused men today to become so cold that they care not for the well being of their fellow man? Could it have been jealousy, deceit, hate or bitterness? Haman had been loyal and worked hard to get into a position closest to the king and to position himself where he could express his hate against those who served God. After he was promoted, all of the servants of the king bowed down when he walked by except one. That one was a man who knew the heart of Haman and of his hate for the Jewish nation and God. Mordecai was his name and he would not bow to a man who hated his God. It was his conviction and no matter what Haman said, he was sticking to it! I wondered if any men would stand today like Mordecai. We find in the book of Esther that Mordecai was the only one that stood up for his convictions and anyone who stands today, may very likely find himself standing alone as well!
This kind of conviction is what has led many followers of God into hot water with those in authority down through history. We think about Paul the apostle, Peter, John the baptist and even our Lord Jesus whom we claim to be our Savior today. You could place Mordecai right in there with them when it came to exercising the boldness of the Holy Spirit in high places. It is a strong faith that will stand up, regardless of public opinion or the popular trends! What gave Mordecai the courage and strength to stand strong in this time? What gives you and I the strength to stand strong in the face of adversity today?
Then there was Queen Esther, who was also full of boldness when it came to standing up for her beliefs and convictions. God had given her boldness, but He also gave her the favor of the king at this time. When she learned of the hate that Haman had for the Jews and his intention to destroy them all, she had a choice! She could jeopardize her position and the protection she had with the king or she could be quiet and stay protected by the king. Esther made the best choice!
She was grieved when she heard the news that the Jews all over the kingdom were weeping and wailing and that many lay in sackcloth and ashes. She sent the king's chamberlain to see Mordecai and find out what the reason was for this sadness in verse four of chapter four of Esther. He found Mordecai at the King's gates in sackcloth and he told him about the money Haman had promised the king so he could destroy the Jews. He gave him a copy of the decree to show Esther and Mordecai sent a message back to Esther, to go before the king and request that the king stop this destruction.
When she received this message she sent one back and told Mordecai that no man or woman can go before the king unless they are called. If they did, the king would have to hold out his golden sceptre or they would be put to death. She also brought to his attention that she hadn't been called to the king's court for the past thirty days! That's when Mordecai told her something profound! He sent her this message;
Esther 4:13-14 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.
14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
Who knows if you have come to the Kingdom for such a time as this? Wow! That's a bold statement, but full of truth. How many of us have to come where we are in life for such a time as this? Have we been able to stand for something in our life that would make a difference in the world for God? He reminded her that the deliverance of the Jews would come from another place, but she and her father's house would be destroyed! Do you think that we could face a similar situation in our life today? Maybe it our freedom to worship or maybe it's about what our children are being taught against our own beliefs. Maybe it is our government today that is compromising our freedom of worship or our children's freedom in future generations. Are we going support the authority of those who we have in power in our city, state or country when they require us to lay down our convictions and standards?
We could just as easily turn to God as Esther chose to do that day. She sent Mordecai this message;
Esther 4:16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
Wow! Look at those last words again. Esther said,"and if I perish, I perish." That is coming from the heart of a woman that had put her complete trust in God and trusted that He would fulfill His will; whether she lived or died. But first, she was going to fast and pray with her maidens and Mordecai would gather all the Jews present in Shushan to do the same. They would become hungry and weak in fasting without water or food for three days and nights while they cried out to God for deliverance! The cry that went forth for those three days must have grieved God greatly. How do I know this? What do we all do when we hear our own child cry out? We jump and run to them and comfort them or protect them from harm. Yes, we are very attentive to our children's voices and especially when we see them trying to do what we have taught them. Especially when they are willing to sacrifice a little on their own before they cry out to us for help. That's when we act without hesitation, isn't it?
On one hand we are grieved because of their sadness and on the other hand we are glad because our children have come to us for their strength. The Word of God says so much about turning to God in time of weakness and despair. How about you? Do you turn to Him when the circumstances look hopeless? So many times we turn to the financial experts, the therapists, our favorite ballgame or hobby for relief that is only temporary. Esther and Mordecai needed help that only the LORD could give them. Esther was going to have to face the king and she knew if she said the wrong thing that he could do away with her. Yes, she was afraid! Would you have been worried and afraid for your life? Sure you would!
Let's think about the kind of crisis we face right now in our nation. Have you found yourself worried about what would happen if your employer closed their doors tomorrow? What would happen if your family depended on you to pay their schooling and their clothing and food? Would you begin to worry if you heard that your job was going to be taken away? That's what Esther may have felt like when Mordecai asked her to go before the king! She wondered how her family would be able to go on without her, but she had an even greater burden on her heart that day. She wondered how the Jews would survive without her intervention in the palace. Knowing she could not make the king do anything on her own, she called for all the Jews and all her maidens to go without food and water while praying for three days. God heard their prayers and turned the tables on Haman and those who hated the Jews. We'll go into the details in the next chapter looking at how this took place.
When we face a crisis in our lives and begin to worry, let's stop, fast and pray. Let's put our trust in the powerful Almighty hand of God! Let's remember that our God can always make a way when we can see no way with our human eyes. Our heavenly Father is waiting for you to cry out to him today as one of His children! Why don't you go ahead and talk to Him and see His loving hand at work in your life? Our cries may touch the heart of God, but nothing grieves Him more than when we don't cry out to Him!
Isaiah 40:28-31 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
If you are not a child of God, how sad it would be to turn away from this message of hope and go on trying to go through the storms of life alone. You know God is what you need to make your life complete. God wants to save your soul from the worries of this world and the condemnation of hell! Is there any reason why you would turn that away? Contact me to find out more about how to become a child of God. It is my hearts desire to help you come to know Him as your Savior today.
I had to stop and think about the meaning for recording the events that took place in the ninth chapter of the book of Esther. I read a dramatic story filled with royalty, servant hood, chivalry, rivalry and justice. It tells of a man who worked so hard to please the king and was rewarded with a promotion that landed him in a position to control the actions and even take the lives of those who challenged his beliefs. Then there was the servant of the king that had been loyal and brave. He had even once saved the King's life long before this time. But without the Queen and her bravery and faith, this story would have ended much different. She was placed in a very strategic position for this important time in the history of the nation of Israel. You may be thinking,"What's all this got to do with how we react to a child's cry?". Let's look at today's passage so you can see for yourself;
Esther 9:30-31 And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth,
31 To confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry.
One hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus received that letter on the day spoken of in this passage. A letter with words of peace and truth written in them. This was a letter that meant "life" for the LORD's children on this earth! This letter meant "posterity" for their nation and the generations to come! Without knowing the events that led up to the writing of this letter, you may never realize just how much this actually impacts your life today. If this letter had not been written, we may not have even had a Bible from which to study in the comfort of our own homes today. This letter was a letter of triumph made possible by the hand of God.
There had been a servant of the King who wanted ALL of the children of God to be destroyed and removed from the face of the earth. That man's name was Haman and he had a plan to take such control that he could even destroy the lives of anybody he chose. What could have caused a man to become so cold hearted? What could have caused men today to become so cold that they care not for the well being of their fellow man? Could it have been jealousy, deceit, hate or bitterness? Haman had been loyal and worked hard to get into a position closest to the king and to position himself where he could express his hate against those who served God. After he was promoted, all of the servants of the king bowed down when he walked by except one. That one was a man who knew the heart of Haman and of his hate for the Jewish nation and God. Mordecai was his name and he would not bow to a man who hated his God. It was his conviction and no matter what Haman said, he was sticking to it! I wondered if any men would stand today like Mordecai. We find in the book of Esther that Mordecai was the only one that stood up for his convictions and anyone who stands today, may very likely find himself standing alone as well!
This kind of conviction is what has led many followers of God into hot water with those in authority down through history. We think about Paul the apostle, Peter, John the baptist and even our Lord Jesus whom we claim to be our Savior today. You could place Mordecai right in there with them when it came to exercising the boldness of the Holy Spirit in high places. It is a strong faith that will stand up, regardless of public opinion or the popular trends! What gave Mordecai the courage and strength to stand strong in this time? What gives you and I the strength to stand strong in the face of adversity today?
Then there was Queen Esther, who was also full of boldness when it came to standing up for her beliefs and convictions. God had given her boldness, but He also gave her the favor of the king at this time. When she learned of the hate that Haman had for the Jews and his intention to destroy them all, she had a choice! She could jeopardize her position and the protection she had with the king or she could be quiet and stay protected by the king. Esther made the best choice!
She was grieved when she heard the news that the Jews all over the kingdom were weeping and wailing and that many lay in sackcloth and ashes. She sent the king's chamberlain to see Mordecai and find out what the reason was for this sadness in verse four of chapter four of Esther. He found Mordecai at the King's gates in sackcloth and he told him about the money Haman had promised the king so he could destroy the Jews. He gave him a copy of the decree to show Esther and Mordecai sent a message back to Esther, to go before the king and request that the king stop this destruction.
When she received this message she sent one back and told Mordecai that no man or woman can go before the king unless they are called. If they did, the king would have to hold out his golden sceptre or they would be put to death. She also brought to his attention that she hadn't been called to the king's court for the past thirty days! That's when Mordecai told her something profound! He sent her this message;
Esther 4:13-14 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.
14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
Who knows if you have come to the Kingdom for such a time as this? Wow! That's a bold statement, but full of truth. How many of us have to come where we are in life for such a time as this? Have we been able to stand for something in our life that would make a difference in the world for God? He reminded her that the deliverance of the Jews would come from another place, but she and her father's house would be destroyed! Do you think that we could face a similar situation in our life today? Maybe it our freedom to worship or maybe it's about what our children are being taught against our own beliefs. Maybe it is our government today that is compromising our freedom of worship or our children's freedom in future generations. Are we going support the authority of those who we have in power in our city, state or country when they require us to lay down our convictions and standards?
We could just as easily turn to God as Esther chose to do that day. She sent Mordecai this message;
Esther 4:16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
Wow! Look at those last words again. Esther said,"and if I perish, I perish." That is coming from the heart of a woman that had put her complete trust in God and trusted that He would fulfill His will; whether she lived or died. But first, she was going to fast and pray with her maidens and Mordecai would gather all the Jews present in Shushan to do the same. They would become hungry and weak in fasting without water or food for three days and nights while they cried out to God for deliverance! The cry that went forth for those three days must have grieved God greatly. How do I know this? What do we all do when we hear our own child cry out? We jump and run to them and comfort them or protect them from harm. Yes, we are very attentive to our children's voices and especially when we see them trying to do what we have taught them. Especially when they are willing to sacrifice a little on their own before they cry out to us for help. That's when we act without hesitation, isn't it?
On one hand we are grieved because of their sadness and on the other hand we are glad because our children have come to us for their strength. The Word of God says so much about turning to God in time of weakness and despair. How about you? Do you turn to Him when the circumstances look hopeless? So many times we turn to the financial experts, the therapists, our favorite ballgame or hobby for relief that is only temporary. Esther and Mordecai needed help that only the LORD could give them. Esther was going to have to face the king and she knew if she said the wrong thing that he could do away with her. Yes, she was afraid! Would you have been worried and afraid for your life? Sure you would!
Let's think about the kind of crisis we face right now in our nation. Have you found yourself worried about what would happen if your employer closed their doors tomorrow? What would happen if your family depended on you to pay their schooling and their clothing and food? Would you begin to worry if you heard that your job was going to be taken away? That's what Esther may have felt like when Mordecai asked her to go before the king! She wondered how her family would be able to go on without her, but she had an even greater burden on her heart that day. She wondered how the Jews would survive without her intervention in the palace. Knowing she could not make the king do anything on her own, she called for all the Jews and all her maidens to go without food and water while praying for three days. God heard their prayers and turned the tables on Haman and those who hated the Jews. We'll go into the details in the next chapter looking at how this took place.
When we face a crisis in our lives and begin to worry, let's stop, fast and pray. Let's put our trust in the powerful Almighty hand of God! Let's remember that our God can always make a way when we can see no way with our human eyes. Our heavenly Father is waiting for you to cry out to him today as one of His children! Why don't you go ahead and talk to Him and see His loving hand at work in your life? Our cries may touch the heart of God, but nothing grieves Him more than when we don't cry out to Him!
Isaiah 40:28-31 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
If you are not a child of God, how sad it would be to turn away from this message of hope and go on trying to go through the storms of life alone. You know God is what you need to make your life complete. God wants to save your soul from the worries of this world and the condemnation of hell! Is there any reason why you would turn that away? Contact me to find out more about how to become a child of God. It is my hearts desire to help you come to know Him as your Savior today.
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