Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Courage and Obedience in God’s Plan 

Bible Reading:  Book of Esther 4:13-16

Key Verse :  Esther 4:14 “  if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” ( The Living Translation)

DEVOTION

Firstly as an introduction to the Bible Portion in the Book of Esther , This chapter 4 in the Book of Esther ,  is perhaps one of the most popular chapter in the Book of Esther , whereby Esther ‘s mentor and cousin  Mordecai in this chapter  literally persuades Queen Esther to  stand up for her people against the diabolical plan of Haman and in essence stand up to save the Jewish People. 
The Book of Esther is very intriguing  and is one of the unique Books in the Old Testament because its one of the two books in Old Testament named after woman. The authorship of the Book of Esther is not really known and some Biblical scholars point to Mordecai, who was also Queen Esther’s cousin.  The other uniqueness of the Book of Esther is that  the name of God is not mentioned.  The events in Book of Esther are celebrated by Jews with holiday called Purim. One concluding aspect that one discovers in the Book of Esther is that God uniquely protects His people and raises faithful followers like Queen Esther and Mordecai who sticks by God in the hardest of times in their lives. 
We focus today devotional in the  Book of Esther 4 : 13-17 where Mordecai admonishes Queen Esther and tells the Queen that being in the King’s Palace does not safeguard the her as she still is person of Jewish Origin. Mordecai goes on to mention in verse 14 that if Queen Esther remains silent, God will send relief and deliverance from another source , and the Queen’s Family will perish.  Mordecai then utters the verse that probably completely shook up Queen Esther whereby Mordecai says that God uniquely placed Queen Esther in the palace to save the Jewish People. Mordecai mind you was Queen Esther’s cousin and played a huge role in appointing Queen Esther in the royal palace and despite their relationship , we read how ordinary person like Mordecai issued a threat to the Queen of the land. As we continue to read in  verse 15 , we see the response from Queen Esther that perhaps should be morale booster to all of us who go through grave crises of what ever we face in life be it health crises , financial crises , death of loved one or even excruciating job loss , that is the time we need to draw closer to God . We need to afflict our souls , fast as we see Queen Esther do for three days and draw closer to God . Our reading for today stops at verse 17,  but what we later read in the Book of Esther is that because of what Queen Esther and her cousin Mordecai did was all by God’s great plan that is fully brought to fruition  by few obedient and faithful children of God.  
This first week of the Great Lent Season , are we prompted to fast and afflict our souls and follow God’s plan to be obedient to God’s Word and live faithful life. We may find this very inconvenient as Queen Esther and her cousin Mordecia did .  The rewards will arrive and God will always protect and care for his faithful people on daily basis, this is what we hear and read in the Old Testament Book of Esther. 

   PRAYER

Almighty and Gracious Lord , enable us during this season of Lent to be people like Queen Esther who choose to stick with God and depend on God’s faithfulness and mighty protection during the time of crises in their lives.  
Thought for the day

“ God writes with a pen that never blots, speaks with a tongue that never slips, acts with a hand that never fails. “ – Charles Haddon Spurgeon. 

Abraham Kurien, Immanuel Mar Thoma Church, Houston, Texas

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