The In Between..

“…in the 1^st month…they cast the pur…And the lot fell on the twelfth month” Esther 3:7.

In Esther the lot was the decision to annihilate the Jews…a death sentence…a decision that would rock every Jew’s world. We note that there would be eleven months between the decision and the act being carried out. Every Jew had to live with this death sentence over their head for almost a year.

When my sister was given 3-6 months to live our family felt the same way as we became residents of the hourglass. Every grain of sand represented a looming disaster and took a great amount of spiritual work to not allow Satan full reign in our ‘shadow of death.’ Everyone has a valley of living between the now of our lives and the future of our hopes and dreams. This valley is the playground of Satan who will reek havoc in a psychological battle in our mind. ‘Because Satan has a limited leash where believers are concerned, his most powerful tactics are psychological. Though he cannot possess our minds, he profoundly and destructively influences our thoughts.’ Esther, It’s Tough Being a Woman, p. 67. Satan’s most effective tactic with God’s children is to trap us in our own mental torment.

He tells us that we will never be that person…we will never attain that dream…our children are not safe. We must build a Psalm 23:4 life to combat his mental attacks. ‘Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me, your rod and staff they comfort me.’ Sometimes we hand over God’s most effective weapons to Satan. God’s rod is the authority over our lives which should not be questioned as Eve did when Satan won that war in her mind. God’s staff is the protection over our life, with only God knowing why we are not given certain things in our timeframe. Satan will wage war in our minds convincing us that our dreams will never be attained and our fears will always be realized.

Let us surround ourselves with the promises of God as we walk through our valleys of the in between.

Magic 8 Balls

“In the twelfth year of King Xerxes…they cast the pur…to select a day and month. And the lot fell…” Esther 3:7.

‘Pur is the Babylonian word for dice-shaped clay cubes inscribed with prayers for good luck rather than dots. These specially marked stones and sticks were placed in a jar or the fold of a garment and shaken until one fell out, indicating the ‘divinely approved’ answer to the question being posed.’ Esther – It’s Tough Being a Woman, p. 66.

When I was a little girl I loved the Magic 8 ball. The thought was thrilling of having some unknown power give me answers to my important questions. The best part is that I could keep shaking that thing until it matched my preconceived desire. Would he like me – most definitely yes. Would Mother and Daddy let me go - probably not. Oops, I would shake it again! Fast forward 20 years and you could find me asking anybody what I should do about any certain decision. I would not seek out godly counsel but ask whomever I was close to at that moment. If I didn’t like their answer, I would shake the Magic 8 Ball asking another person until I found the answer I wanted. It seems as if the original Magic 8 Ball was in the hands of the Persians. It was just as ridiculous back then as it is today to think that important answers would be given through sticks, stones and Magic 8 Balls.

When we live our lives seeking our own answers in our own way we will fall into the hands of Satan. He loves to tell us what we want to hear and give us credit for the answer. He confirms our flesh agendas and entices us to be in charge of our own decisions. God is crystal clear as far as seeking answers through Him. ‘The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD’ Proverbs 16:33.

We must use the Word as our direction when seeking answers to our questions. God alone will reveal the correct answer the more intimate we become with Him. He desires our pursuit of His thoughts on the little things just as the big things. In order for us to get the ‘divinely approved’ guidance to our decisions we must shake up His word to obtain the revelation from Him.

Embers to Fire

“When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged” Esther 3:5.

We continue to peek into the life of an angry little man who felt entitled and enraged over the past.  He just couldn’t turn the corner when it came to his bitterness.  ‘The Hebrew word hamah (anger) is a very strong term referring to ‘an inner and emotional heat which rises and is fanned to varying degrees.’ Esther – It’s Tough Being a Woman, p. 65.

At some point along the way, we have all experienced anger in our inner self and witnessed it in others.  Neither is pretty and both are destructive.  Just like Haman, we look towards others and become angry that they didn’t respond or behave in a certain way.  We have predetermined expectations of what is right and wrong regardless of our inability to know what is going on in their heart or mind.  Anger doesn’t just happen – anger is the result of a past wound that was never forgiven.  It is an ember that stays dim but fans to a flame in an instant, eventually turning into a raging fire.

We can feel that inner rise of emotional heat when the ember has been doused by an accelerant.  We can sense when we have fanned the ember in others.  All anger must be surrendered at the same place we are afforded our own forgiveness – the cross.  We are not entitled to our anger and it will be a barrier between us and our fellowship with Jesus.  We have no justification for bitterness and will forfeit the very thing we refuse to give others – forgiveness on all levels in all things.

‘And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander…Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you’ Eph. 4:30-32.

We are called to action in our bitterness and anger according to Scripture.  Scripture instructs us to get rid of it by showing kindness and compassion based on the way God forgives us.  He does not withhold His kindness and forgiveness until we are perfect people.  He blesses His children even while we are still sinning against Him.  Our forgiveness towards others cannot be based on their past, present or future performance.  God gives us daily grace when we have done nothing to deserve it.

As Scripture states, by not taking action to get rid of our unresolved anger we run the risk of causing grief to God's Spirit.  Freedom from self is one of the most liberating freedoms we can ever experience.  I should know...I am still in the process of becoming liberated!

Bowing to Wrath

“All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman…But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor. Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply” Esther 3:2.

‘Chapter 3 begins with awkward unfairness as the king promotes a rival of Mordecai’s instead of his true benefactor.’ Study of Esther, p. 57. We learn in Esther 3 that although Mordecai exposed an assassination attempt on the king’s life, the king promoted and exalted Haman, Mordecai’s arch enemy who had hatred towards God’s chosen people. Oddly enough, the Hebrew word most closely translated to the name Haman is heman, meaning wrath. We notice that Mordecai was the only one among the king’s people not to bow so we must surmise that the easy thing to do was to simply kneel and worship. Mordecai had every right to feel entitled to a better life and angry for being looked over for favor, and yet he remained faithful to God's plan, not his own.

Let’s face it – at some time or another all of us feel entitled to something we don’t have and ungrateful for the things we do have. We lose our spiritual humility and genuine gratitude for things we have such as health, financial blessings, a loving family and a God who places our good ahead of our desires. It is easy to approach our days with anger and a sense of discontent as our flesh egos demand our honor and our worship. Our egos entice us to worship our own desires and agendas instead of walking in the wisdom of the Lord.

If we are to be God’s people, Christians setting themselves apart from the rest of an ungrateful, earth-focus people we must be intentionally committed to kneel and honor God alone. Though tempted to bow at the gate of our flesh, God has not put us in situations that are more than we can bear. ‘No temptation has seized you expect what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.’ 1 Co. 10:13. Notice that Mordecai stood and never bowed to wrath.

Our knees can only kneel before one master - will it be the Master or will it be the flesh who masters over us?

Royal Journals

During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate...two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, became angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. But Mordecai found out about the plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai…All this was recorded in the book of the annals in the presence of the king” Esther 2:21-23.

Back in Mordecai’s time, anyone who sat at the king’s gate was most likely recognized as holding a high position in the kingdom. The gate was as close as one could get without having access to the king, unlike the king’s officials who had the authority to approach him. While going about his daily work he overheard these men plot an assassination against King Xerxes. He sent a message through Esther who told the king and gave her cousin the credit. After the investigation and confirmation of the plan, the men were hanged and the king wrote the details in his royal journal. He recorded the actions of Mordecai in his book, but failed to reward and acknowledge him with favor.

I cannot tell you the times I have been ‘sitting at the King’s gate informing Him of the sins of others.’ I have had times when I have taken the high road only to see the one who wounds get away with their actions. Being well aware that God sees all things and knows the hearts of all people, it is a tough pill to swallow when we feel we are being overlooked for favor. To make matters more difficult, we see those who plot and plan to go against our King get kudos and approval from society.

We must take several principles from this passage. We must live our lives so close to God that we can recognize when someone threatens His message. We must communicate our circumstances with God so He may reveal His truth, not our perception. Our actions must not be motivated by gain, but by love. No matter the outcome, we must remain at the gate of our King and continue with our job of protecting His reputation and His message.

There will be a time when we sit before the Throne of God and His royal journals will be opened to our page. Every wrong on earth will be made right in Heaven. Every act of love and service to God’s children while we inhabited earth will be assigned a heavenly blessing. Both on earth and in Heaven we have a King who gives us the authority to approach Him. We do not have to sit on the other side of the gate hoping to catch a glimpse.

She Asked For Nothing

“And this is how she would go to the king:  Anything she wanted was given her to take with her…When the turn came for Esther to go to the king, she asked for nothing...The king loved Esther…and she found favor and kindness with him…so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen” Esther 2:13, 15, 17.

This little teenager name Esther was up against some of the most beautiful girls in all the surrounding areas.  Each one of them had everything at their fingertips to enhance their beauty.  The most gorgeous garments, intoxicating fragrances no doubt, jewelry to adorn every part of their body, and the shoes….let’s not even go there as women.  The culture for which they had found themselves over the past 12 months had no doubt been a focus on image and beauty …competition and entitlement.  And yet, Esther chose to trust the eunuch.  We are not told what he encouraged her to take to the king because it is not important.  Whatever was taken or not taken to the king made her stand out and set her apart from the others.

We are not much different in our daily walk as we live in earthly palaces indoctrinated with image, beauty tips, competition, and eyes on the earthly prize, whatever it may be.  Our King never intended on us to all look alike, think alike and focus on the earthly things of this world.  The less we have when we come to Him we more we gain from Him.  The more we appear to be set apart from others in this world the more beauty we radiate. 

When we approach our King there is nothing we need to bring with us – He owns everything we have and made us everything we are.  When we come to Him in our spiritual bareness, we leave His presence with the fragrance of Christ.  We waltz out in His beautiful robes of righteousness and He crowns us with His glory.  We come into His presence with little of ourselves and leave with the fullness of our King.

‘….she asked for nothing.’

The Middle Man

“Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem…Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food.” Esther 2:8-9.

So the Bachelor show continues in the palace, but with a twist.  The king’s eunuch is put in charge of deciding who is chosen to be presented to the king.  My dictionary gives quite a disturbing definition of a eunuch.  Apparently, eunuchs were castrated men who were employed to be in charge of the harem within the king’s palace.  Oddly enough, the Greek translation for eunuch is ‘keeper of the bed.’ In this instance, the approval of the eunuch guaranteed the hopeful hearts time before the king.  The girls spent an entire year having intense beauty treatments in an effort to catch the eye of the eunuch, the middle man.  All of their attention was spent on seeking the approval of the man lower than the king.

Personally speaking, I have spent my life seeking the approval of others, paying attention to the details guaranteeing that I am accepted, chosen and loved.  My beauty treatments entailed doing for others in an attempt to gain their recognition.  The special food I digested was flesh nourishment opposed to the Bread of Life.  It humbles my heart that my King stood up almost seven years ago, personally approaching me with new beauty treatments, and provided me with a better menu of special foods.  He tenderly lavished me with oils of the Holy Spirit and clothed me with His garments.  He did not enlist a middle man for my makeover but personally attended to my enhancements and nourishment.  My King is our King and He offers the same to all of His children.

‘…just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless…’ Eph. 5:25-27.

By the way of the cross, Jesus did the work for our spiritual makeovers for the King.  He was the middle Man – the man who hung in the middle of the cross for our righteousness and salvation.  We never have to look any further than the cross for our beauty treatments.