Weekly devotion no 23

Weekly Devotion no 23
4 September 2020

Bible reading – Esther 4[1]

Mordecai found out about everything that had been done. So he tore his clothes. He put on the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad. He sat down in ashes. Then he went out into the city. He wept out loud. He cried bitter tears. ² But he only went as far as the palace gate. That’s because no one dressed in that rough clothing was allowed to go through it. ³ All the Jews were very sad. They didn’t eat anything. They wept and cried. Many of them put on the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad. They were lying down in ashes. They did all these things in every territory where the king’s order and law had been sent.

⁴ Esther’s male and female attendants came to her. They told her about Mordecai. So she became very troubled. She wanted him to take off his rough clothing. So she sent him other clothes to wear. But he wouldn’t accept them. ⁵ Then Esther sent for Hathak. He was one of the king’s officials. He had been appointed to take care of her. She ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai. She wanted to know why he was so upset.

⁶ So Hathak went out to see Mordecai. He was in the open area in front of the palace gate. ⁷ Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him. He told him about the exact amount of money Haman had promised to add to the royal treasures. He said Haman wanted it to be used to pay some men to destroy the Jews. ⁸ Mordecai also gave Hathak a copy of the order. It commanded people to wipe out the Jews. The order had been sent from Susa. Mordecai told Hathak to show the order to Esther. He wanted Hathak to explain it to her. Mordecai told him to tell her to go and beg the king for mercy. Mordecai wanted her to make an appeal to the king for her people.

⁹ Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. ¹⁰ Then Esther directed him to give an answer to Mordecai. She told him to say, ¹¹ “There is a certain law that everyone knows about. All the king’s officials know about it. The people in the royal territories know about it. It applies to any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner courtyard without being sent for. It says they must be put to death. But there is a way out. Suppose the king reaches out his gold sceptre toward them. Then their lives will be spared. But 30 days have gone by since the king sent for me.”

¹² Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai. ¹³ Then he sent back an answer. He said, “You live in the king’s palace. But don’t think that just because you are there you will be the only Jew who will escape. ¹⁴ What if you don’t say anything at this time? Then help for the Jews will come from another place. But you and your family will die. Who knows? It’s possible that you became queen for a time just like this.”

¹⁵ Then Esther sent a reply to Mordecai. She said, ¹⁶ “Go. Gather together all the Jews who are in Susa. And fast for my benefit. Don’t eat or drink anything for three days. Don’t do it night or day. I and my attendants will fast just as you do. Then I’ll go to the king. I’ll do it even though it’s against the law. And if I have to die, I’ll die.”

¹⁷ So Mordecai went away. He carried out all Esther’s directions.

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[1] Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible , New International Reader’s Version copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Reflection

As we anticipated last week, we see in this week’s reading that the Jews were indeed distressed at the news of the impending genocide. Esther heard that Mordecai was upset. As we know, Mordecai was like a father to Esther, so she naturally wanted to find out why he was upset as, because of her position, she was excluded from engaging with the people and therefore knowing what was going on in the world. So she sent one of the king’s officials to speak to Mordecai.

Mordecai communicated the key points to Esther via the official: Haman’s bribe to the king and that the king had signed an order to destroy the Jews. He also sent a copy of the order so that Esther could read it for herself and see that her own people were under threat of elimination. Mordecai requested that Esther intercede with the king on behalf of the Jews.

Esther is in a tricky position. We have seen Queen Vashti be banished because she would not come when the king demanded. But the law states that anyone who enters the presence of the king without his express permission will be put to death! Even though she has won favour with the king and is his queen, she has not seen him for over 30 days. The stakes are high: either Esther can face death if she approaches the king to intercede for her people, or she can face death when the king’s orders are carried out and all the Jews are killed.

But Mordecai puts out the challenge. Maybe God has placed her in this role for such a time as this. However, Mordecai also trusts in God – he knows that if Esther decides not to risk her life to save her people, that God will find another way. He knows that God is faithful and will keep his promises and not abandon his people.

And so now Esther steps up. It is no longer Mordecai who is making the decisions and taking responsibility, seeking obedience. Esther takes on responsibility for her role. But the first thing she does is to fast and pray. And she asks Mordecai and the Jews to do the same. She knows that she needs to seek God’s will and mercy as she prepares to approach the king. She knows that she is not doing this in her own strength, but seeking the strength of God to give her the courage to risk her life. And so she is able to say that if this involves her dying, so be it – first and foremost she seeks to serve God.

What do you do when you have to do something hard? We trust in God. Like Esther and Mordecai, we know that God is faithful and that he keeps his promises. We can have confidence in him and him alone. And so we can come before him in prayer, no matter what it is we are facing. He is even with us as we enter the valley of the shadow of death. So we do not need to fear: he will give us the strength we need, the wisdom we seek, and the comfort we desire. 

Hymn

Verse 1

The Lord's my shepherd, I'll not want

He makes me down to lie

In pastures green: He leadeth me

the quiet waters by

Verse 2

My soul He doth restore again

and me to walk doth make

Within the paths of righteousness

ev'n for His own name's sake

Verse 3

Yea, though I walk in death's dark vale

Yet will I fear no ill

For Thou art with me, and Thy rod

and staff, my comfort still

Verse 4

My table Thou hast furnished

In presence of my foes

My head Thou dost with oil anoint

And my cup overflows

Verse 5

Goodness and mercy all my life

Shall surely follow me

And in God's house for evermore

My dwelling-place shall be 

Psalm 23 © Public Domain CCLI:69198     

Prayer

O God,

You know us to be set in the midst

Of so many and so great dangers

That by reason of the frailty of our nature

We cannot always stand upright:

Grant to us such strength and protection

As may support us in all dangers

And carry us through all temptations:

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer Book for Australia 1995