324 Friday, November 20, 2009

324 Esther 3 – 6; 1 Peter 5

There is always one in the crowd. Everybody else is doing it, but that one person. There is always one in the crowd and in this case it is Mordecai. Haman was greeted by the king's servants by bowing down to him, but not Mordecai. Why wouldn't Mordecai bow down? Even though Mordecai was in a foreign land He still had a heart for God. He was not going to bow down to Haman. This of course infuriated Haman and now he is looking for a way to eliminate all the Jews in the kingdom. He gets approval from the King to destroy all the Jews throughout the kingdom at his own expense. There is a message sent out that this will happen and now Mordecai is mortified. He contacts Esther in hopes that she, as the Queen, can influence the King to rescind the order. One problem is that anyone approaching the king uninvited is killed. But, God has other ways and even uses a bad nights rest to help Xerxes go over past events. While studying the records he learns that Mordecai had exposed a plot to kill the king. Yet, nothing had been done to honor him. By the way, have you found the name of God in your reading of this book? God is at work around you. For such a time as this had Esther been born and raised to a place of honor.

Those in leadership of the church must be diligent in watching over the church. This care has to come from a heart of "I want to _____" not that "I have to _____." When the leaders are helping take care of the church they must keep in mind that the chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ, is watching over all of us. Peter once again warns believers to stay alert for we have an enemy that wants to devour us. This theme of being alert is prominent in Peter’s book--why? Peter had let his guard down and failed the Lord. Stay alert in your spirit.