Thursday, March 10, 2022 (today’s lectionary)
Esther and the rest of us
Queen Esther, seized with mortal anguish, had recourse to the Lord.
Nothing would protect her now. Haman convinced King Xerxes that she was Jewish (which was true) and that all the Jews must be killed. Her cousin Mordecai is helpless. But God is not.
God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, blessed are you. Help me, who am alone and have no help but you, for I am taking my life in my hand.
Esther might be a female favorite of the king, she might be queen in fact, but more than that she is God’s daughter, God’s princess, God’ child. God hears her prayer.
Help me, who am alone and have no one but you, O Lord, my God. And now come to help me, an orphan.
We left Austin yesterday for Evansville, Indiana, for a short visit with Margaret’s mom Dorothy and sister Kay. Not long enough, this visit. Margaret flew in last night, and I’ll drive in this evening. We are not threatened with extermination, or hated by a powerful advisor. We are not under fire and running from the Russians. We listen to God, though, and as Esther listened in the good days, we do too. We learn the art of conversation with our Father. In the last days, terrible times will come. In our own last days, our own terrible times will come. Probably.
Save us from the hand of our enemies. Turn our mourning into gladness and our sorrows into wholeness.
You are learning how to trust me. And you still have much to learn.
Thank you, Father, for showing us how to speak and how to hear. Talking with you is sweeter than honey from the honeycomb. Make our thoughts acceptable to you, Lord, and give us wise, honest, words.
Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Esther and Mordecai waited on God, and he turned the tables on their enemies. The gallows Haman had built for Mordecai was used for him.
Everyone who asks, receives. And the one who seeks, finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asked for a loaf of bread?
Oh Lord, we do not live by bread alone but by your words. Thank you for feeding our bodies and feeding our souls.
(Esther C, Psalm 138, Psalm 51, Matthew 7)
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
#
