Alone and Afraid
It was a situation Esther had never imagined. Still a young queen, chosen for her beauty, she never expected to be involved in politics. But everything changed when Haman convinced the king to have all Jews in the kingdom killed.
When Mordecai told Esther what happened, she felt powerless. She hadn’t been summoned into the king’s presence for 30 days, and death awaited anyone who approached…
Different
The very presence of the Jews irritated Haman. In particular, he was annoyed by Mordecai—his actions and all that he symbolized. Haman had been promoted, and the king had commanded everyone to pay homage to him. But Mordecai would not worship any man and refused to bow before Haman.
When criticized, Mordecai explained that “he was a Jew” (v. 4). He was a man of principle who would bow only to…
A Consistent Lifestyle
Mordecai had a special relationship with his cousin, Esther. “When her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter” (v. 7). He was careful to bring her up in the ways of the Lord.
This training faced a serious test when Esther entered the harem of the king, where she came under the supervision of the king’s eunuch.
There, she lived totally surrounded by Persians and…
Humility and Favor
“Incompetent and lazy, vain as a peacock, arrogant.” This is how writer William Shirer described Joachim von Ribbentrop, Nazi Germany’s foreign minister from 1938-1945. Another person spoke for many when she wrote, “I detest him. He terrifies me. He could walk over dead bodies.”
Ribbentrop spent his life ruthlessly pursuing his goals. Driven to impress others, he never hesitated to use people to…
Generous
A well-known cliché says that when we die, “The person with the most toys wins.” Many people live according to this principle. They spend their time and resources accumulating things.
But the Bible reminds us that “when good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to look on?” (Ecclesiastes 5:11)
God has given us a different…
One Willing Person
From 1300-609 BC, Assyria was a leading power in the ancient world. Assyria’s ruthless army struck terror in their opponents by burning cities, killing children, and chopping off hands. Hoping to persuade their adversaries to submit, they practiced excessive cruelty toward any who resisted.
However, during the time of Jonah, Assyria was preoccupied with other problems and was less of a threat to…
Today and Tomorrow
For Henry Ford, life was good. His company had come under increased competition but still was the dominant automobile manufacturer. That spirit was clear on this day in 1928, as he toured the Ford Industry Exhibit in New York City along with his son Edsel and inventor Thomas Edison.
The event had been designed to showcase the new Model A, and Ford seemed to be overflowing with confidence. He…
A Stop Along the Way
The children of Israel felt like they’d had enough. God had told them He would bring them to the Promised Land, a place of abundance. But instead of getting any closer to that land, they had been wandering around the wilderness. To their natural eyes, there was no abundance—only endless desert. They were tired and discouraged.
When they arrived at Kadesh, they became overwhelmed by the reality…
God’s Perspective
To Moses, the situation seemed hopeless. He was responsible for leading the children of Israel, and something needed to be done! Here they were, in the middle of the desert. They had few resources and needed a lot of food every day. They were surrounded by neighbors who would not help.
But when Moses complained, God firmly told him that He had not changed: “Has the Lord’s arm been shortened?” He…
Blest Be the Tie that Binds
For John Fawcett and his wife, it was an emotional moment. Born on this day in Lidget Green, England, in 1740 Fawcett was saved under the ministry of George Whitefield and then called to ministry.
In 1772 he was pastoring a small church in northern England, when he was asked to become the pastor of a larger church in London. This seemed like an opportunity he couldn’t pass up, so he accepted the…