Lesson 3: The Book of Esther - On Divine Assignment

Hello Ladies,

I pray that you all have had a blessed week.  Did you enjoy being silent and obedient?  I'm joking.  It would seem that as I grow in age and wisdom, practicing silence becomes less difficult.  Especially, when I am focused on the greater good, which is God's will, and not focused on myself.

Now, obedience is one of my blind spots.  Probably because I take the same approach towards obedience as I do with authority.  I assume because I am good at following rules that this is synonymous with practicing obedience.  However, one can follow the rules and still exhibit disobedience.  Its just like when we tell our children, "Don't touch that cake."  Then we find our children eating the cake.  They rationalize their disobedience by saying, "You told me not to touch it and I didn't.  I just bit it." 

I think the Lord wanted me to definitely to practice what I am writing because this week silence and obedience were not my good friends.  However, as I have stated in many other postings, constant progression in God is necessary.  We are never truly finished until we see Him face-to-face.

This week we will focus on Mordecai, Esther's cousin, claiming as her father.

Resource
Chapter 2
21 In those days, while Mordecai sat within the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, doorkeepers, became furious and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.  22 So the matter became known to Mordecai, who told Queen Esther, and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name. 23 And when an inquiry was made into the matter, it was confirmed, and both were hanged on a gallows; and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.

Chapter 3
1 After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes who were with him. 2 And all the king’s servants who were within the king’s gate bowed and paid homage to Haman, for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai would not bow or pay homage. 3 Then the king’s servants who were within the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress the king’s command?” 4 Now it happened, when they spoke to him daily and he would not listen to them, that they told it to Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s words would stand; for Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew. 5 When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow or pay him homage, Haman was filled with wrath. 6  But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus—the people of Mordecai.

Lesson

Mordecai and Esther are on divine assignment from God.  As we end chapter 2 of Esther, God has positioned Esther in a place of favor and Mordecai in a place of grace in the eyes of King Ahasuerus.  Esther's obedience to the authority of Mordecai has ensured her position and Mordecai reverence to God has ensured his.  The servant of God must be faithful to every trust , and watchful for those who employ him (Nelson 1997).

It is so pleasing to watch God maneuver for His glory.  We are challenged when God appoints us to His divine assignment.  We are excited to be chosen, however we sometimes grow weary when we embark on the journey. 

Mordecai, without knowing God's entire plan sets out with a spirit of obedience (Romans 1:5).  The bible does not specifically express Mordecai's attitude towards what he is being called to do.  However, his obedience without question is a magnified note that he is operating in God's will for the greater good of God's people and God's glory (Romans 16:26). 

We are all on divine assignment from God.  It would do us all well to ask why God has allowed us to live at this particular hour (Mears 1999).  Just as Mordecai and Esther were on assignment to save the Jews during that particular time, for God's glory.  We are all on our own assignments for God's glory.

For God's glory, that is what we need to focus on (Romans 8:28).  We are sometimes consumed with our own wants and needs that we forget the greater good, which is God.  To do what is right may mean that we must jeopardize our lives and face issues (Mears 1999).  Are we not willing to sacrifice our lives for Christ who sacrificed His own that we may have life? (Isaiah 53)

Thus, with respect to those who serve Christ, though their recompense is not till the resurrection of the just, yet an account is kept of their work of faith and labor of love, which God is not unrighteous to forget (Nelson 1997).  Wouldn't you want the Lord to remember that when He placed you on a task you completed the task and completed it well without any gripes (Isaiah 54:14).

We chastise our children or subordinates when they complain, gripe, or express a negative attitude after being asked to complete a task.  Yet we express those same emotions when God requires something of us.  We are comfortable to determine what we are entitled to do or not to do.   However, God's purpose is greater than our egos.  If He requires you to serve in the children's ministry or on food service, then God doesn't believe its beneath you.  Many of us want to be on a grand assignment in the forefront of man when we should be seeking the eyes of God (Jeremiah 29:13, Hosea 10:12).  Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward for it is the Lord Christ you are serving and anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong and there is no favoritism (Colossians 3:23-25).  We get in trouble when we allow what we see around us negate the promises of God (Bevere 2001).

Think of all the people on divine assignment in the bible.  What if they all had decided to choose disobedience?  What if Jesus Christ decided not to go to the cross after His conversation with God in the garden of Gethsemane?  We must understand the divine assignments for our lives.  There is a grave importance for each one of our existence.  God has determined the outcome, we are just required to come under authority, practice obedience, and walk in faith (Jeremiah 29:11).

Application

This week we will have a definite focus for our time with the Lord.  When you enter into your devotional, bible study, or quiet time with the Lord, I ask that you focus on seeking God about your divine assignment (Jeremiah 33:3).  Take the time to make a list of your rational or reasoning of what you think your divine assignment is.  Then seek the Lord with that list.  Ask God for clarity, direction, the spirit of obedience and strengthening faith to complete the task.  We may have multiple divine assignments in our lifetime, so ask God about your present assignment.

I hope this week we can get a discussion started in the "comments" area.  I receive so many emails, text, and facebook messages regarding each lesson.  We could bless each other so much more if we shared with other readers.  Your question, concern, dispute, etc., can bless someone else. 

I pray that you all will have a blessed week.

Be blessed,

T. Carter

References

All scriptures are extracted from The Bible - New King James Version.  YouVersion (2013).

Bevere, John.  Undercover: The Promise of Protectioin Under His Authority.  Thomas Nelson Publishing.  Nashville, Tennessee

Mears, Henrietta (1999).  What the Bible is All About. Regal Books Publishing. Ventura, California

Nelson, Thomas (1997).  Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible.  Thomas Nelson Publishing.  Nashville, Tennessee.

Nelson, Thomas (1997).  The New Strong's Concise Concordance.  Thomas Nelson Publishing. Nashville, Tennessee.