Today is our final day for the first round of this blog experiment. Our hope is that this has been beneficial for you in your walk with the Lord, and that this reading the Scriptures this week has helped create habits in you that will last a lifetime.
Read Esther chapters 9 and 10
Answer the following questions:
It is interesting how the Jews celebrated. Their celebrations were very purposeful, filled with meaning. They "celebrated the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar "as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration." (Esther 9:21-22) So the celebration time did not revolve around the gifts. It revolved around remembering.
1. When your family celebrates, does it revolve more around gifts, or God's gracious provisions and blessings?
Why was it so important to celebrate? Because God had delivered them!
There was the chance, though, that future generations would forget the great stories of God's deliverance. This is why celebrations and feasts like this were put into place, so that the stories would be retold generation after generation.
2. Do you have a story of God's deliverance in your life? How are you making sure that it doesn't die out before the next generation?
Mordecai started off by taking a back seat in terms of his prominence among the Jews and others within the country. By the end, though, he was second in rank only to the king. His undying devotion to the good of his people and the welfare of all the Jews was noticed and honored. But it didn't start with Mordecai seeking this prominence, and throughout the story, we never see Mordecai desiring more power. He was seemingly content loving God and loving others (see Matthew 22:36-40).
3. How are you doing at loving God and loving others? Are you content if you never receive recognition or praise for your service? Or is there an underlying expectation that you will be praised for your efforts? Do you think God is honored (even when you do "good" things to serve others) when you seek power and prestige for your service?
Posted on Friday, June 27, 2008
by Ben Reed
filed under