Day 17 – Esther 5:1-14
Opening Prayer: Father, teach me to seek Your face in all things whether difficult or relatively simple. You always have a good plan of blessing and resurrection!
Read: Esther 5:1-14
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.
Finally, after three days of fasting and prayer, Esther approached the King donning her royal robes. This is significant because it points to her identity. “I am the Queen,” she must have repeated to herself. “I am also part of God’s chosen people, a royal priesthood.” Like Esther, you and I are robed in royal robes of righteousness. We are children of the King–a royal Priesthood!
Reflection:
- Do you identify with being a child of the King?
- Why or why not?
Fortunately, Esther was invited into the throne room by King Xerxes, not banished or put to death. Rather, she approached the King with confidence. (Fortunately for you and me, there is no wondering, no holding our breath when we approach the throne of God. His scepter is always extended and we are encouraged to boldly approach the throne of God.) But, instead of asking for something for herself, she invites the King to an intimate banquet, asking only that Haman would also attend. But, when the time of the feast arrived Esther only asked that they attend another feast the following day. At first glance it looks like Esther chickened out. “What?” You might ask. “Why didn’t she say something when she had the chance?”
However, we know she had been fasting and praying. In fact, all the Jews had been fasting and praying. Undoubtedly, she was in tune with the Lord’s leading and He told her to wait. Therefore, Esther bravely asked the King and Haman to return for another banquet the next day. And what a day it would be!
My Verse: Esther 5:13, “Yet all of this does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai, the Jew, sitting at the King’s gate” (NASB).
My Response: Abba, I can relate to being dissatisfied when I don’t get what I want. Please keep me from rebellion! Keep my heart soft and remind me of Your constant loving-kindness.
When Haman sees Mordecai once again outside the gate refusing to bow down to him, he is furious. Ultimately, Haman tries to comfort himself with his friends and family, boasting about all he has in this world. “Yet all of this does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai, the Jew, sitting at the King’s gate” (Esther 5:13 NASB). Fittingly, this specific verse bears insight into the heart of all who reject God. They want to be worshiped. They look at all they have–all their talents, prestige, and accumulated wealth–and feel empty and angry when they see the people of God refusing to “worship” them.
Unfortunately for Haman, he took bad advice and planned to execute Mordecai on the gallows the very next day. Nevertheless, as we will see, the very thing Haman erects to destroy one of God’s people becomes his own deathtrap.
Oh Lord, we are like the aroma of death to those who are perishing. We will be hated because You were hated. Give us the courage to trust You in these hard, sticky, uncomfortable and even hostile circumstances, resting in Your goodness and faithfulness as we obey.
The next step:
When the Spirit leads, in the comment section below, chose a response to share:
- Do you identify with being a child of the King?
- Why or why not?
Or
- Share your 4R Response
