Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Year 5, Day 62: Esther 2

Theological Commentary: Click Here


Discipleship Focus: Obedience

  • Obedience: Genuine and satisfying obedience comes out of our identity.  Our true identity comes only from our Father.

I find obedience to be a striking picture in Esther 2.  Esther is obedient to just about everyone around her.  She is obedient to her uncle Mordecai.  She is obedient to the director of the harem and finds favor with him.  She finds success in her obedience.  Rather than demanding that her needs be met, she humbly works in obedience to the people around her and God blesses her through it.

However, I actually find Mordecai’s story even more inspiring.  Here is a man who takes in an orphaned relative.  She then becomes queen.  How easy would it have been for Mordecai to collect on what Esther owed him?  Mordecai could have sought his own advancement through Esther’s position as queen.

But this isn’t what Mordecai does.  Mordecai continues in his life.  He celebrates Esther’s promotion, but he continue to live obediently to God’s plan.  While he is living obediently to God’s plan, he uncovers a plot against the king.  Because Mordecai and Esther are living humbly before their God and the people around them, God can use them.  Mordecai shows us that it isn’t about living humbly so God will bless us.  It is about living humbly so we can be of service to God.  When we are humble, we can be a part of what God is doing in the world.

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