We are a culture consumed by a longing for pleasure, but pleasure for who? Who do you long to please: others, yourself, God...? We all live to please someone. In Esther, people are in crisis struggling with the pleasure of their king. The book never mentions God and has no obvious miracles. It seems as if God is no longer King or no longer cares. However in the end, God makes it clear that He is the King on His throne. He is looking for those who will find their pleasure in saying IF IT PLEASES THE KING. #esther #2020
Lord we pray that we would surrender our hearts to you fully. Would you in the power of the Holy Spirit and truth of your word lead "older reverent women" to "encourage the young women to love..." Would you lead the "older men to be level headed" and the "young men to be self controlled"? Would all that we do and say come from a place of thinking, "If it pleases the King..."
God had clearly explained His kingdom plan to His covenant people. God as King has lovingly warned his people about what would happen if their hearts and behaviors were not surrendered to His plan and rule. They wouldn't listen. So in approximately 605 B.C., God sent his loving discipline through a wicked Babylonian King. Many were taken north into slavery and exile in Babylon. God told them how they were to live their lives in captivity while promising that He would bring them back to the land in 70 years (Jeremiah 29). It is now 70 years later. The Babylonian kingdom has been overthrown by the Persians, just as God said it would happen. Many Jews have been released to go back to Jerusalem. Those that returned rebuilt the temple (Ezra) but not the city walls (Nehemiah). Some Jews like Mordecai and Esther remained and continued to live and labor in Persia. His people are trying to live their lives torn between two Kings and two kingdoms. Are we willing to live asking "If it pleases the King..."?