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Insecurity and wounded pride… (devo reflection)

Esther 3:2 All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.

The final line of commentary about this chapter echos in my mind this morning: “…all of this came to pass because of the insecurity and wounded pride of one wicked man.” All we need to do is take a good look at yesterday’s top US news story to see exactly what kind of damage the insecurity and wounded pride of one man can do. 

Esther 3:5 When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged. Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews….

Interestingly, the word that trips me up is “wicked.” I’m not saying Haman is not wicked. His actions certainly indicate that he is. But wicked seems to imply beyond repair, and as God’s deeply beloved, I don’t think any of us are beyond God’s reach. We all know folks who have done wicked things. Sometimes those folks lead wicked lives for years and years. But I also know folks who turned from those ways and have come out on the other side, folks who are good, loving people.

Esther 3:8 Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs are different…and they do not obey the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. I am struggling with what to do with wicked, proud, insecure people, people whose actions hurt others, destroy property, disrupt democracy. We are all Your deeply beloved; we are all Your masterpieces. Show me how to see and love You, even within those who don’t acknowledge Your sovereignty. Help me cling to Gen 50:20 and Romans 8:28, knowing You are in control and can work all things, even things meant for evil, to our good and Your glory. Draw me closer. Amen.

Esther 3:10-11 So the king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman…. “Keep the money,” the king said to Haman, “and do with the people as you please.”

Have a blessed day

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A heart for God…. (devo reflection)

Esther 2:1 Later when King Xerxes’ fury had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what he had decreed about her.

Going back to the fact that God is not mentioned by name in this narrative, I find it fascinating that, more so than any other chapter thus far, as I read this morning, verses about God readily popped into my head. As I was reading about Xerxes’ appalling attitude towards his wife, I thought of Gen 50:20: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” This certainly gels with what I know of the book of Esther.

Esther 2:2 Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king.”

And again, as I wrestled with this archaic beauty pageant, solely for the king’s gratification, I thought of 1 Samuel 16:7: But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” While Esther was clearly pleasing in outward appearance, she also has a heart for God. 

Esther 2:3 “Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them.”

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder, the certainty, that You are with us, always, working for our good and Your glory, even if we can’t perceive Your presence or Your plan. Thank You that You can see past outward appearance and into our hearts. Thank You that You can take even things meant for evil and use them for good. Draw us closer. Amen.

Esther 2:4 “Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This advice appealed to the king and he followed it.

Have a blessed day.

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Even then…. (devo reflection)

Esther 1:19a “Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes….”

Commentary on several sites talks about the fact that God is never mentioned in the book of Esther, which is rather curious. Already I’m wondering why not? Where is God in this book? How will we see Him if He isn’t even mentioned? How does this fact change or shape the narrative?

Esther 1:19b “…Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she.”

It’s not so different than life in the middle of a global pandemic in a country with a contentious election where conspiracy theories abound and a person’s political leanings influence how people are treated. Where is God in this mess? How will we see Him if He isn’t even mentioned? How does this fact change or shape our narrative?

Esther 1:20 “Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.”

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that You are with us—even in the mess and the chaos of our world. Help me to look for You always, especially in the places I least expect You—like those who seem to be on the other side of the lines I’ve drawn. Help me to love You even then. Draw me closer. Amen.

Esther 1:21 The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memukan proposed.

Have a blessed day

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Our deep need…. (devo reflection)

Nehemiah 13:6-7a But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Some time later I asked his permission and came back to Jerusalem….

Nehemiah was gone for 10-12 years, and when he returned, he realized all the progress he made before had been undone. I feel like the problem was that the people were fulfilling Nehemiah’s dream, so when he left, it was easy to let things slide, eventually sliding back near where they were before he started. They weren’t really that personally invested in his dream.

Nehemiah 13:7b …Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courts of the house of God.

I think that’s a chief reason for God’s focus on free will and relationships. He is the Creator of the universe. He could make us do anything He wanted. But He wants a partnership, not a dictatorship. He wants us to understand our deep need for Him, which can only come through relationship. 

Nehemiah 13:10 I also learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them, and that all the Levites and musicians responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields.

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that You need me to partner with You for my own sake, so that I understand my deep need for You, so that Your dreams become my dreams, so I can live the life You planned for me. “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10). Amen.

Nehemiah 13:23 Moreover, in those days I saw men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab.

Have a blessed day.

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It’s about relationship…. (devo reflection)

Nehemiah 12:40 The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials….

Praise, portions, and purity. I was reading through today’s text trying to find a way to get at the heart of what the chapter is about. I think these three words sum up this chapter rather well. The walls have been rebuilt. The city has been repopulated, and now everyone has been reminded of their jobs: Praising God, providing portions for others—contributions, firstfruits, and tithes to keep things running properly, and purification of heart, soul, and body for worship.

Nehemiah 12:44 At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the contributions, firstfruits and tithes….

The problem is that I have summed up the original into a tidy, alliterative list of rules. I’ve stripped the scripture of its power. The power lies in the entire story from Genesis until now. If that scripture is viscerally real to me, I know what I need to do to praise God—I’ve lived it with the Israelites. I do it because it has meaning and purpose. If I just go down the list—check, check, check and done—it’s not about God, it’s about rules.

Nehemiah 12:45 They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did the musicians and gatekeepers, according to the commands of David and his son Solomon.

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that praising You is not about rules, it’s about relationship, and relationship always involves time, effort, vulnerability. Help me to strengthen my relationship with You so that my praise always comes from a place of relationship. Help me, always, to trust You, to love You, to praise You with my whole heart. Amen.

Nehemiah 12:47 So in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the musicians and the gatekeepers….

Have a blessed day.

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I want to be all in…. (devo reflection)

Nehemiah 11:1a Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem….

It is hard for me to know what to write today because I know where this book is headed. The actions in this chapter seem quite positive—Jerusalem is rebuilt, it is in the process of being repopulated. The progress is beautiful and positive. They know it won’t be easy, but they are willing to try.

Nehemiah 11:1b … The rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten of them to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns.

This reminds me of a famous Yoda (from Star Wars) quote: “Do or do not. There is no try.” I kind of feel like I went through first semester with that attitude, and it resulted in a feeling of mere survival, not a triumphant, I am more than a conqueror, feeling of accomplishment for my Savior. And the problem is within me, with my attitude. “I’ll try” doesn’t imply seeking my Savior every day, trusting Him when things are utterly awful, praising Him for the blessings. “I’ll try” is a lukewarm, halfhearted commitment. Jesus, Help me.

Nehemiah 11:2 The people commended all who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that my attitude, my effort, my heart for You is vitally important in my day-to-day. I don’t want to make a tepid “I’ll try” commitment to You. I want to be all in, trusting You, praising You, working for You, with You, and through Your strength. Always. Help me, Lord. Amen.

Nehemiah 11:25 As for the villages with their fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiribati Arba and its surrounding settlements, in Dibon and its settlements, in Jekabzeel and its villages….

Have a blessed day.

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Covenant keeping…. (devo reflection)

Nehemiah 10:32 “We assume the responsibility for carrying out the commands to give a third of a shekel each year for the service of the house of our God….”

This chapter is about covenant keeping—an agreement between the Israelites and God, an offering of the firstfruits. It is about giving freely of oneself to God in honor and thanksgiving.

Nehemiah 10:35 “We also assume responsibility for bringing to the house of the LORD each year the firstfruits of our crops and of every fruit tree.”

This first day of 2021 seems the perfect time to indulge in a similar activity, to establish a covenant, an agreement, with God about what I’m willing to give Him first and freely. It should be personal and meaningful and should involve the firstfruits, the most prized and valued things in my life.

Nehemiah 10:36 “As it is also written in the Law, we will bring the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, of our herds and of our flocks to the house of our God, to the priests ministering there.”

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture, so perfectly timed on this first day of a new year. Thank You for the encouragement to give freely and generously to You, You who have always been so free and generous with the blessings in my life. Help me to dedicate my firstfruits to You in glory, honor, and praise. Thank You, LORD, for everything that draws me closer to You. Amen.

Nehemiah 10:37 “Moreover, we will bring to the storeroom of the house of our God, to the priests, the first of our ground meal, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees and of our new wine and olive oil….

Have a blessed day.

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In the wilderness…. (devo reflection)

Nehemiah 9:5-6 … “Blessed be Your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. You alone are the LORD….

I am a big fan of analogies because they help me make sense of things that are often difficult to understand. I have often thought of difficult times, especially difficult times for which I see no solution, as wilderness—utterly barren of other life, utterly inhospitable, desolate, overgrown, without a trail or path or clear space to leave, frightening, beyond my ability to escape. 

Nehemiah 9:16-17 “But they, our ancestors, became arrogant and stiff-necked, and they did not obey Your commands. They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles You performed among them….”

This idea of wilderness emphasizes WILD—untamed, beyond my strength to endure. Perhaps that is why Isaiah 43:19 (“See, I am doing a new thing! …do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness….”) has always provided balm for my weary, frightened soul when I am wondering in metaphorical wilderness. I feel that same sense of comfort, knowing that God is present and working, in today’s chapter.

Nehemiah 9:19 “Because of Your great compassion You did not abandon them in the wilderness….”

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that You don’t abandon us in the wilderness, even at our worst, that You are making a way, even if we can’t yet perceive it. Thank You for being present with us in the wilderness. Help us never to forget that You there. Amen.

Nehemiah 9:21 “For forty years You sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing….”

Have a blessed day.

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God is the focus…. (devo reflection)

Nehemiah 8:9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” … 

People often view events only from their own perspective—how an event touches or effects the person directly. The Israelites were hearing and understanding, probably for the first time, God’s word. The veil was torn from their eyes, and they were seeing, truly understanding for the first time, the depth of their sin. The horrifying reality of their sin caused them much anguish.

Nehemiah 8:10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our LORD. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

But Nehemiah tells them, essentially, that they are focusing on the wrong thing. They are focusing on and distressed about their sin instead of focusing on and being joyous about their God. Nehemiah stresses that this is a holy day and not to grieve—they finally understand their sin and their God—this is a cause for celebration. God’s joy at their understanding is their strength as they bear the burden of the knowledge of their sin. God is the focus, the reason for celebration, instead of mourning the failures of man.

Nehemiah 8:11 The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.”

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that You are the focus, always—Your goodness, Your mercy, Your grace. Help us to keep our eyes and hearts on You always. Help us not to grieve our shortcomings, but to focus on Your joy in our return to You. Draw us closer. Amen.

Nehemiah 8:12 Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.

Have a blessed day.

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Such overwhelming thankfulness…. (devo reflection)

Nehemiah 7:1 After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the Levites were appointed.

There are some chapters that I don’t think I would grasp at all without commentary. This is one. The commentary on this chapter brought up the earlier idea that God made us to thrive instead of merely survive. That thriving involves the ability to worship and praise God freely in thanksgiving.

Nehemiah 7:2 I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do.

Nehemiah’s focus from the beginning was completing the wall so that the Israelites could safely and with freedom worship God. And suddenly I’m thankful in an entirely new way. I am thankful that we don’t need walls and gates in order to safely worship. I’m thankful that we can gather together digitally with our fellow Christians from another denomination during a difficult time to worship. I’m thankful that we can work with a different denomination to help local victims of a flood. 

Nehemiah 7:3a I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot….” 

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You that a chapter I didn’t fully grasp led me to such overwhelming thankfulness for the freedom I enjoy to worship and praise You. Thank You for Your presence here, Immanuel, God with us. Thank You. Amen.

Nehemiah 7:3b “…While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have then shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses.”

Have a blessed day.