August 18

Esther 1:1-3:15, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, Psalm 35:17-28, Proverbs 21:19-20

Pray: Oh Lord, please empower us today to see not what others say reality happens to be, but allow us to see this day through the eyes of the One who created the heavens and the earth. We pray for peace in our world, for kindness to emerge as a higher value than politics, and personal preferences. 

Read: They don’t even know her name. She is right in the midst of them, a truly beautiful woman with character and poise. Yet, they do not know who she is. Her name is not Esther but Hadassah. And the book which is written for her namesake, does not mention “God” one time. Yet, there is an obvious supernatural work going on in the life and selection of young Hadassah as the new queen.

Edify: Queen Vashti has refused to go into the king’s banquet and give the full appearance that everything is well. For the queen, everything is not okay, and she doesn’t want to continue life as she knows it as a trophy wife. Her refusal to join the king was the end to her reign and marriage. Yet, her refusal became Esther’s opportunity to step into a divine appointment. Esther did not jockey for this moment, she could not have dreamed of being chosen. Yet it was God who put her into this position. What assignment does God have for you and when this moment comes will your character and integrity allow you to maximize the moment?

Practice: The king was focused so much upon his own ego and restoring his ego that he was not aware of the devastating consequences of his order to do away with the Jews. Haman was furious that Mordecai would not bow to him and he would not give up until he got his way which was the destruction of the Jewish people. Just as one man’s ego and pride can be his undoing and can destroy an entire group of people, so another man’s sacrifice can bring hope and redemption to people. Mordecai could not remain silent, nor could he stand by and allow Esther to be silent when God had put her into this amazing level of influence. You see, our silence is its own form of apathy. So today, we are called to move from silence to speaking up for others, for actually caring for those around us through acts of kindness. There is only one thing worse than silence, it is the appearance of compassion without action.