Day 12 – Esther 1:10-21
Opening Prayer: Father, infuse me with faith so I can see You working even amid chaos. Give me peace that defies human understanding and help me point others to Jesus because of it.
Read: Esther 1:10-21
In your 4R journal:
- Record: After reading this short story, what verse stood out to you?
- Respond: Write a short prayer of praise in response to what God has shown you.
If King Xerxes (Ahasuerus) was anything he was audacious. At the end of the banquet, he asked his wife, Queen Vashti, to parade before everyone (officials and townspeople) wearing ONLY her crown. No wonder she refused him! Furious with her rejection, the King inquires of his closest advisors who have also been partying for months, and they decide to unseat the Queen because “Women everywhere will begin to despise their husbands when they learn Queen Vashti has refused to appear before the King” (Esther 1:17 NLT). Yet, as we shall see, the deposing of Vashti made way for a new Queen–a Jewish Queen.
Reflection:
- Have you experienced something you thought was bad that turned out to be good?
- How did that outcome affect your faith?
My Verse: Esther 1:12, “But when the attendants delivered the King’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the King became furious and burned with anger” (NIV).
My Response: Father, give me courage to do Your will, even if it means dying. Lord, You are holy and righteous and all-powerful but also loving. Help me trust You in all things.
This verse is powerful and practical. Vashti understood she could not only be deposed but killed for refusing the King ANYTHING. Yet even she had her limits. It is not mentioned often but Vashti was gutsy. She refused to be degraded by the King in front of a group of drunk men–paraded like an object instead of protected as his wife.
In contrast, God is our covering. When we are asked to do things that go against His Word, that don’t glorify Him or reflect His loving heart, it is ok to refuse. Charles Stanley always says, “Obey God and leave the consequences to Him.” In this case, I believe Vashti was protected. She wasn’t killed, only “Banished from the King’s presence.” (I like to think she lived out the rest of her life in relative peace.) It’s curious that the King was so angry. My goodness, we don’t like to be told “no,” even when we’re wrong. Nevertheless, in his drunken, irrational state the King agreed to the decree to banish the queen. And so, the stage is set for God’s plan to unfold.
Father, thank you for revealing Your omnipotence and sovereignty through this story. You are always in control!
The next step:
When the Spirit leads, in the comment section below, chose a response to share:
- Have you experienced something you thought was bad that turned out to be good?
- How did that outcome affect your faith?
Or
- Share your 4R Response
1 Comment. Leave new
My verse was Esther 1:18 “Before this day is out, the wives of all the king’s nobles throughout Persia and Media will hear what the queen did and will start treating their husbands the same way. There will be no end to their contempt and anger.” Dear Father God, thank You for Your directions to husbands to love their wives like Christ loved the church, wanting their best, putting their wives’ interests ahead of their own. How I love that You call all of us to be kind and tender-hearted to one another! Help me to be kind and tender-hearted toward my Ray, today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. PS – the men in this passage sound a little afraid of the women. That made me smile. Just a little.