Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Victory is Mine!

SCRIPTURE

Esther 8:1-17 (NRSV)

Destruction of the Jews is averted

On that day King Ahasuerus gave to Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews; and Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told what he was to her. Then the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. So Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

Then Esther spoke again to the king; she fell at his feet, weeping and pleading with him to avert the evil design of Haman the Agagite and the plot that he had devised against the Jews. The king held out the golden scepter to Esther, and Esther rose and stood before the king. She said, "If it pleases the king, and if I have won his favor, and if the thing seems right before the king, and I have his approval, let an order be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote giving orders to destroy the Jews who are in all the provinces of the king. For how can I bear to see the calamity that is coming on my people? Or how can I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?" Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to the Jew Mordecai, "See, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows, because he plotted to lay hands on the Jews. You may write as you please with regard to the Jews, in the name of the king, and seal it with the king's ring; for an edict written in the name of the king and sealed with the king's ring cannot be revoked."

The king's secretaries were summoned at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day; and an edict was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded, to the Jews and to the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, one hundred twenty-seven provinces, to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, and also to the Jews in their script and their language. He wrote letters in the name of King Ahasuerus, sealed them with the king's ring, and sent them by mounted couriers riding on fast steeds bred from the royal herd. By these letters the king allowed the Jews who were in every city to assemble and defend their lives, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them, with their children and women, and to plunder their goods on a single day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. A copy of the writ was to be issued as a decree in every province and published to all peoples, and the Jews were to be ready on that day to take revenge on their enemies. So the couriers, mounted on their swift royal steeds, hurried out, urged by the king's command. The decree was issued in the citadel of Susa.

Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king, wearing royal robes of blue and white, with a great golden crown and a mantle of fine linen and purple, while the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. For the Jews there was light and gladness, joy and honor. In every province and in every city, wherever the king's command and his edict came, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a festival and a holiday. Furthermore, many of the peoples of the country professed to be Jews, because the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.


DEVOTION

Today I am reminded of the scripture, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)

Although Esther and Mordecai faced very grave and life threatening danger, they did not despair. They trusted in their God to make a way out of no way and to turn the situation around for their good!

I don't know about you, but I have some difficult circumstances in my life from time to time. Sometimes I worry that I will not be able to overcome them, or that I will fail miserably and bring shame to myself, my family, and my God.

It is at times like these that I like to remind myself that "I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength that I need." (Phil 4:13)

This side of the cross, we know that it is GOD--and God alone--who is charged with fighting our battles. Since God will never leave us, nor forsake us, we know that all things will always ultimately work out for our good.

Since God did not spare his own son, but allowed him to die on the cross to save us from our sin and gift us with eternal life, we know that God will not withhold from us any good gift that we truly need!

Let us trust God on this day to fight all of our battles, overcome all of our enemies, and lead us into victory--by the Blood of the Lamb!


Won't you pray with me?

Holy and Strong God, you are Awesome. There is none like you! Thank you for the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, my Lord! You have more than proven that you are powerful enough to save me from any trial or tribulation that may come my way. I entrust my whole life to you. In Jesus' Name, Amen.



INVITATION


If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @ http://bit.ly/JVhaL



DEDICATION

Today's blog is dedicated to my beloved sisters Kimberly & Adrienne Denson. I am proud of you!


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