ESTHER 4:1-7:10
1 CORINTHIANS 12:1-26
PSALM 36:1-12
PROVERBS 21:21-22
Esther 6:1 That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. 2 It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.
Have you ever had trouble sleeping and then found out there was a reason God had you awake. I used to get so stressed out when I would wake in the middle of the night unable to fall asleep. That is until I started asking God "Why?". His response has been often times a call to pray for someone. Or to receive and respond to a text message of someone in need. A faithful blog reader might remember that it was to find my lost cat and help me find a new speaker for our women's conference. God kept the king from sleeping to save the Jews. When Mordecai said "14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" he shows his faith. He knew that God did not need Esther and himself to save the Jews. If Esther would have chosen to not go to the king, God would have still saved them. But Mordecai speaks faith filled wisdom to her when he said that she may have been placed there just for this time. If we look at our current situation from our human perspective instead of a heavenly perspective, we might think that we have gotten somewhere or achieved something of our own power and for our own purpose. However, if we look at it from a heavenly perspective, we can say perhaps we are here for some reason that only God knows. Perhaps we are awake for a reason that only God knows. Ask, why? Then faithful expect an answer.
1Corinthians 12:18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
He has also placed us in the body of Christ just as we should be. We should not doubt that God will use the skills, gifts and talents that He has given us for His purpose.
1Corinthians 12:21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it,
We also must not doubt or question God's ability to use all the members of the body for His purpose. Everyone is needed. As I said yesterday, we should be encouraging each other and building one another up. If we look at ourselves or others in the church as being unworthy or lesser we are dishonoring God because we have ALL been created in His image.
1Corinthians 12:25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
We find it easy to rejoice and celebrate together when something good is happening in the life of one part of the body, but what about when bad things happen. We should be undivided in both the good and the bad. As I said yesterday gossip is one of the most common reasons for division in a church. When we gossip about any one part of the body we are gossiping about the entire body. If there is one part of the body who is struggling in a sin, suffering loss, in need of assistance, our response should not be to gossip about it but to come around that person and support them in their battle against their sin. Comfort them in their grief, help them with what they need. When we don't do that, we are dishonoring every member of the body and in turn dishonoring Christ Himself as the Head.
We must remember in all things and at all times that in all circumstances God is in control and He has each one of us where we are for a time such as this. He has shown me this in so many ways this past week. Thank you Lord!
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