Hello Everyone,
I pray that you all had a great holiday weekend. It is always nice to have an extra day of relaxation. While God has called us to rest on the Sabbath (Sunday), many of us do not (Exodus 20:10). Many people catch up on their household chores or simple paperwork on Sundays, so to have Monday is truly a gift to many.
After making my list of redemptions and rewards that the Lord has continuously blessed me with, I felt refreshed at the fact that God has been faithful to me. I will never deserve the extent of His goodness, kindness, faithfulness, forgiveness, and grace. He is the giver of life and I am grateful for my life (Acts 17:28).
Sometimes we have a tendency to focus on our situations or circumstances and fail to give credence to the awesomeness of God. How awesome He is to allow us to live in His constant presence regardless of our unworthiness. It is a graciousness that is immeasurable.
Studying the accounts of Esther has definitely caused me to take pause in the gratitude area. I cannot imagine having to protect my family in the manner in which Esther and Mordecai did. Esther and Mordecai were basically protecting their immediate family and their extended family, the Jews. We are all protecting the family of Jesus Christ as we walk and live out His word daily. We are protecting the integrity of the gospel by the way we live (Romans 12:1).
I commend Esther and Mordecai for their faithfulness to God and their beliefs. They are specifically chosen by God to fulfill His divine purpose and they remained consistent on their journey. Just like David and Joseph, Esther was chosen and hidden away for His purpose then brought out to do the front work for His plan (Mears 1999).
In present time, we are challenged to "live out loud" for Christ. God has called us to walk boldly on His Earth in order to fulfill His purpose. We are challenged to operate in His will while no one is watching and while everyone is watching. We must set the standard and live it (Isaiah 59:19).
Many commentaries are astound by the Book of Esther. These commentaries denote that they are unaware of the author, nor are they absolutely certain of the time in which this incident occurred. However, the most agreeable analysis of this book is that God is not mention throughout (Carpenter & McCown 1992). The massive metaphorical declaration implies that even in the appearance of the absence of God, we should operate accordingly; loudly and quietly.
The Book of Esther has held an important place and a strong testimony to God's providence and protection of His people (Allen, House, & Radmacher 1999). This book delivers so many spiritual lessons that we as Christians must strive to implement in our daily lives. We must, with God's help, exhibit sacrifice, patience, submission to authority, and endurance (Proverbs 3:5-6).
As we reflect on the Book of Esther, we should honor the purpose of the book and all the lessons it has to offer. God allowed the author of this book to share these accounts with us for a reason. We are obligated, as Christians, to seek after God and His purpose for His words for our lives. Let us from this be encouraged to pray always to our God, and not to faint (Henry 1997).
I hope that you have enjoyed this study of the Book of Esther. I pray that you have received something that will increase your relationship with Christ, encourage you to seek after Him, and empower you to live a Godly life, quietly and loudly. We are all purposed for a reason and God has clearly amplified that notion through the Book of Esther.
This week take some time to reflect on the principles displayed in the Book of Esther. Review some of the studies and take some time to focus on the one that posed the most challenging to you. Ask God to help you overcome and give you tools to do so. We are all more than conquerors in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37).
Next, we will study the Book of Ruth. Please take some time next week to review the Book of Ruth and we will start the study the following week.
I pray that you all have a blessed week.
Be blessed,
T. Carter
References
All scriptures are extracted from The Bible - New King James Version. YouVersion (2013).
Allen, Ronald B., House, H. Wayne, & Radmacher, Earl (1999). New Illustrated Bible Commentary. Thomas Nelson Publishing. Nashville, Tennessee
Carpenter, Eugene E. and McCown, Wayne (1992). Asbury Bible Commentary. Wesleyan Publishing
Henry, Matthew (1999). Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary of the Whole Bible. Thomas Nelson Publishing. Nashville, Tennessee
Mears, Henrietta (1999). What the Bible is All About. Regal Publishing. Ventura, California
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