David is a powerful communicator. It only took me two verses to get pulled into what he was saying. His description of God totally grabbed my heart: my rock, my steadfast love, my fortress, my stronghold, my deliverer.
So take a few minutes today and think about David's very personal description of God. How has God been your rock, steadfast love, fortress, stronghold and deliverer? Tami W.
All the pieces fall into place for Esther today. Haman's plans are revealed to the king, Haman is executed and then Esther and Mordecai write and distribute an edict for the king that saves the Jewish people. Pretty amazing. What a confirmation that with God, all things are possible.
So what did today's passage (actually all of Esther) show you about God's involvement in the details of our lives? Has the Book of Esther impacted, influenced or changed the way you think about trusting God? Tami W.
Esther moves into action today in Esther 5:1-6:14. And I have to say I like her plan and how she was patient in working out every detail. But it was really Haman who caught my attention today. His arrogance and pride permeated the entire passage. I even rolled my eyes and thought to myself Really, Haman? Well, as we'll see, this sinful attitude ultimately leads to his death.
So what did Esther 5:1-6:14 show you about pride, arrogance and conceit? What are some things we can do to squelch those ugly desires when they surface? Tami W.
Today we meet Haman, the man king Ahasuerus promotes to be head official in the kingdom. Haman is infuriated because Mordecai will not bow down and worship him. So, he comes up with a plan to have all the Jews under the king's rule executed via an edict Haman secures from the king. Mordecai gets word to Esther about this plot to kill off the Jews and implores her to speak to the king. That sounds simple enough, but Esther can't approach the king unless she is summoned, and if she does, she risks being put to death. But Esther rises to the challenge sending this message back to Mordecai "I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish" (Esther 4:16).
Esther makes the commitment to do whatever she has to do to help the Jews, even if it means her life. So what does this show you about Esther? If you found yourself in an "Esther" situation, how much would you be willing to risk for the sake of Christ? Tami W.
Esther is literally taken from her uncle and caregiver, Mordecai, and made part of the king's harem. Now at first read, that may sound intriguing and like some dramatic scene from a movie, but this isn't fiction. It's a true account of Esther's life. So think about Esther and what she was experiencing. We're told that she was a "young woman." Now I'm guessing a young woman at this point in history was probably a teenager. Just imagine how frightened she had to have been as she went through these events. Yet, Esther handles herself marvelously. We're told she had "found favor" in the eyes of her caretaker in the king's palace (vs. 9) and a little later that she "was winning favor in the eyes of all who saw her" (vs. 15).
What did you learn from Esther's example about responding to unexpected and perhaps unwanted events? What else did you learn from Esther today? Tami W.
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