Discouragement. A very rough subject. Some of us, by DNA or by family culture or things that have happened, or, sometimes, several of these, are prone to this. I can recall an early memory of a man in our little church, a man I'll call "Arthur", who I had never seen to smile or to appear happy in any way. Finally, I summoned the nerve to ask my dad about it. His only answer was, "he's discouraged." That was all. I never knew what had befallen him, but it took him over totally and if that ever changed, I never knew of it. Discouragement had taken over his outlook and, perhaps, his whole life. Now, he was a regular and faithful member of that assembly. But the Lord was unable to overwhelm that gloom of discouragement.
He was an extreme case, though I have seen several others. Persons for whom the weight, the burdens of life and of circumstances have overwhelmed them. Some just trudge on day to day. Some take to the bottle, and most of us have seen that. Some take their own lives, and some of us have seen that as well. I believe that the Lord has a path to joy, but I also believe that joy and happiness don't necessarily walk at the same pace or at the same time.
Someone who is discouraged and feeling helpless may seek out or -- hopefully -- be sought out the Christian community. I think that is proper and is part of our duty. I look around some of the areas in our general part of the world, as well as some of the others we've been around. I see areas that are blighted with all sorts of issues, but with some sort of church house within a few blocks. Isn't that where the battles are? And I see, also, areas composed of the comfortable and well-off, with big houses, fancy restaurants and upscale shopping nearby, but not a church in a mile range. Not good.
Now, how does this relate to the passages?
Consider the situation of Esther. She, like her family and surviving kindred, were prisoners in an enemy nation, little more than slaves. Bad,right? Then her parents died, leaving her an orphan. A young girl orphan at that. Graciously taken in by a relative. Then, captured in a roundup of young virgin girls. And, chosen by lot, to "service" the king.
I think that discouragement and despair might be understandable.
Then the uncle comes to her with a wild story, a vision and a mission that didn't come to her directly, but to him. So she had to rely upon his honesty and vision. Scary, OK? Particularly if the instructions put her at risk for immediate execution or, perhaps, even worse.
Trust and faith or discouragement and despair, that is the question.
We know what happened next, and the world is changed as a result.
I have relatives whose name is Esther. I've met a Mordecai or two. I don't know anyone named Haman. Or Ahaserus.
The works of the Lord often come about when all other hope is gone. Examples are not hard to find. My Catholic friends believe that despair is a sin. Perhaps they are right.
If the Lord can preserve His people through the obedience of a young captive girl, what problem before us is beyond Him?
"Lord, Lead Me On".
When the way seems dark and long
Hold to my hand dear Lord I pray
Give me grace to shout and shine
Ever in the life devine
Lord lead me on from day to day
Oh lead me on from day to day
I want to walk the holy way
Oh friends forsake me all along
I asked the Lord to lead me on
In this world of doubt and gloom
When all flowers start to bloom
Hold to my hand dear Lord I pray
I have put my faith in thee
'Til the homely hour shall be
Lord lead me on from day to day
When old age is feeling on
And my strength is almost gone
Hold to my hand dear I pray
Surely thou will n'er forsake
And in heaven I'll awake
Lord lead me on from day to day
Oh, and here is a link to some of those Hamantaschen cookies that the Jews use even today as part of their Purim celebration.
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Esther 9
1Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;)
2The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people.
3And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.
4For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater.
5Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them.
6And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men.
7And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha,
8And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha,
9And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha,
10The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, slew they; but on the spoil laid they not their hand.
11On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king.
12And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request further? and it shall be done.
13Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan to do to morrow also according unto this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows.
14And the king commanded it so to be done: and the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons.
15For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew three hundred men at Shushan; but on the prey they laid not their hand.
16But the other Jews that were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey,
17On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.
18But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.
19Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another.
20And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far,
21To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,
22As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.
23And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them;
24Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them;
25But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.
26Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto them,
27The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year;
28And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed.
29Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim.
30And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth,
31To confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry.
32And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book.
Esther 10
1And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the isles of the sea.
2And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?
3For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.
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Psalm 138
A Psalm of David.
1I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
2I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
3In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.
4All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord, when they hear the words of thy mouth.
5Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord: for great is the glory of the Lord.
6Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.
7Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
8The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.
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2nd Corinthians 10
1Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
2But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
6And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
7Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.
8For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:
9That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
10For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
11Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.
12For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
13But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.
14For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ:
15Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,
16To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand.
17But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
18For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
