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Devotional
Weekly Bible Devotion By Books
April 24-29, 2023
Enter the Presence of the Lord
(M)Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God, do not forget the helpless.
(W)You see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand.
(M)You, Lord, defend he fatherless and the oppressed.
(W)You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.
(M)You have upheld my right and cause, sitting enthroned as he righteous judge.
(W)The Lord reigns forever.
(M)I may declare your righteousness and judge the people with equity.
(W)I will be glad and rejoice in you. I will sing the praises of your name, O most high.
Confession
O, Lord of Truth and Compassion, we often neglected the helpless, the afflicted, the fatherless, the oppressed. We simply lived in our own comfort zone. We are so sorry. We do not reflect who you are and hold what your heart cherishes. Rescue us from this kind of insensitivity and blindness. Recreate our hearts to follow your steps. Amen!
Scripture Reading:Esther 4:15-17; 8:12-13; 2 Timothy 1:7
Esther 4:15-17 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”17 So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions.
8:12-13 The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. 13 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
2 Timothy 1:7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
Thoughts to share Decision Moment
Have you ever been at a tight place and a narrow window of time in which you must take risk to make a decision? Your decision will lead you to either life or death situation. And you have only limited but the best knowledge and interest at that moment. How did you make that decision? And the results? What did you learn from that experience?
Esther, a descendent of a Jewish war prisoner, changed her citizenship from the defeated Babylonia to the newly rising Persia. She was brought up in her own Jewish culture and lived through Babylonian culture and then Persian culture. Unexpectedly she was taken to be the candidate for new queen of the world top powerful empire. She made through the selection process and finally won the success to the queenship. So, she became the happiest and care-free woman in the world. But, was that queenship the purpose and meaning of her life? Did she need to know and play the politics in the palace and courtyard? How, if she needed it? How was she going to discover her mission in her role as a queen? Would she be able to carry out it if there was any? Was her gender a concern?
Esther faced a circumstance and a decision. A plot was formed from the very top powerful leader circle. The plot would throw a bomb of hatred to eliminate her people completely. Eventually the plot would touch on her too. Her position, her comfort , and her life will be gone. Being reminded by her prudent cousin Modica, she realized that she was in the most possibly strategic and influential position to reverse the course and to save the fate of her people and herself. She had only limited time frame to change the course. She sensed the urgency of the circumstance. She had no time playing hesitations and excuses. She must accept her mission and walked out of her comfort zone.
She had the beauty. She had the favor of the King. She was a good hostess. She had the authority of the queen. So, she quickly hosted 2 feasts with purpose and mission in rather short period. Her diplomatic skills amazingly displayed. She won the success of her mission and reached her goals. However, what stood out most was her trust in the Lord who she had cherished most since her early years. She knew one thing: with her, the mission would be too difficult to handle. With God, all things would be possible. She invited God into her decision and her plan as the very first step. She called upon fasting to seek for the will and strength of God. She fasted. She discerned. She poured out the upcoming mission before God. She gained wisdom, courage, and strength. She went out to execute the plan. She saved her people and herself.
On those moments and places in tightness, did you run to God? Did you invite God into your circumstances? Did you practice being still and fasting to prepare yourself before God? Did you see his sovereignty, his omnipresence, omni-knowing, omni-power beyond circumstances? Indeed it is safe to come to him. He will act on behalf of us. He will carry out his will in the matrix of complicated circumstances. He will be faithful to his own children whom he has called and saved by Jesus Christ.
Prayer suggestions
Any difficult circumstances or decision are you facing? Where will the wisdom and help that you long for come from? Have you ever included God or faith factor in your workplace? Marriage? Family? Relationships? Do so if you have not yet. Too hard? Fasting to seek for discernment, for the will of God, for the strength and courage.
O Lord of the universe and the Lord of our strength, we come to you and cast out our difficult circumstances and our cares upon you. Guide us and lead us. You are that God who always leads us into the victory. We can put our trust in you. Come, to our workplace, our marriage, our family, our nation, our people. Be our advisor, counselor, and manager, and commander. Be in where I am, whatever I do and however I do. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!
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