Esther 4:1-7:10; 1 Corinthians 12:1-26; Psalms 36:1-12; Proverbs 21:21-22
Today is the 19th day of August. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I’m Brian. It’s great to be here with you as we close down another week together. And we began this beautiful book of Esther yesterday and we will conclude it tomorrow. So, we’re kind of like right in the middle of it and that’s where we’ll pick up. We’ll pick up where we left off yesterday, where there is this new queen, Esther, who happens to be a Jewess but she hasn’t revealed that. And then there’s this man Haman who is like second in command to the King. So, like on either side of the king are a Jewess and one who wants to utterly and completely destroy the Jews. And the drama builds. Esther chapter 4 verse one through 7 verse 10 today.
Commentary:
Alright, Esther is such a beautiful story. Right? I mean…it’s just a beautiful, beautiful story. Not so much for Haman. But pretty much for everybody else. But it’s this intentionality of God working in and among circumstances when we don’t even really know completely what’s going. I mean, so, Hadassah who is Esther, lost her parents, was orphaned, was then taken in by her uncle and raised up. So, we can say she had significant disadvantages against her, the most unlikely person to become a queen. And yet this is what happens. Her beauty grows. Her character grows. She’s beautiful inside and out. And when the king is looking for new Queen…I mean…he has a lot of beauty of beauty to pick from, but Esther is chosen. And, so, when Haman’s plot to destroy the Jews…and you know this…this has just happened throughout history…the destruction of the Jewish people…and this is just one more instance of the kind of Holocaust that was planned for them by Haman. And Esther is just kind of settling into what has just happened to her. She lost her parents. She’s been raised by her uncle. Her uncle loves her. Then she’s swept away from her uncle and brought into the harem of the king waiting her turn. And the next thing she knows she’s become queen and then she discovers this plot and she doesn’t know exactly what to do because she’s still moving into being Queen and she knows that if she goes before the king uninvited that she could lose her own life. And Mordechai is kind of like, yeah, that might happen anyway. Who knows, Esther, who knows, you could’ve been born for this, you have been put where you are for such a time as this. And that proves true. And, so, this is a giant example because we have a beautiful queen and we have all of this intrigue and it’s all consolidated into, you know, a kind of a tight little book and story. But these kinds of things are going on all the time. Maybe not on such a grand scale but if we open our eyes and start paying attention and walk with God in everything as we face out into the world and Sneeze Jesus into the world and infect the world with light and good news, we’re going to find that ‘for such a time as this’ is common for us. We just have to be paying attention. It’s just…I talked about serendipity…in one of the Facebook lives that we did for Sneezing Jesus…I said, you just watch…if you’re paying attention…you just watch the little things that happen that put you in positions to say the right thing at the right time on behalf of the Savior. And that’s true. If we’re paying attention. If were not so self-absorbed about what’s going on around us, what’s swirling around us or how we are being affected, if we’ll face outward away from that and start paying attention, light and life are everywhere. And we need to be a part of it. And the opportunities are endless to just do good, to just be light in this world. And this story certainly shows us, on a grand scale, what that looks like. But it looks the same for all of us in big and small ways.
And then we have the apostle Paul in his letter to the Corinthians, unpacking what the body of Christ is and telling us something very, very important that also pulls us away from self-absorption. You are a part of something greater than yourself. All by yourself, isolated, there’s only so far you can go. But when you understand that you are a part of a greater whole and that greater whole is the body of Christ in this world, the physicality of Jesus in this world, lived out through our own flesh - that is mind boggling. Like, just that awareness alone, that Christ is in me and I am a part of his body and together we make up this whole. Then what we’re actually saying here is that Jesus is still in the world, on earth, physically represented, and doing his work in the world through us. And we are a part of that, big or small, we are a part of that. And every part of the body is irreplaceable and important. That changes the order and scope of our lives. That definitely pulls us away from the self-absorption of just what is happening to us and around us, making us aware that we are a part of something happening in the world, a new way of being in the world, in Christ. And we all have a role to play. And there is for such a time as this for each of us. I mean, that should change how we live today. Right? That should change how we live tomorrow. That that should give us pause before we launch into some sort of tirade against someone, someone near to us or someone away from us. That should give us pause before we step into things that are not going to be helpful. There are gifts and there are gifts for us all and we all play a role in a whole. It’s incredible.
Prayer:
Father, we thank You for the book of Esther. We thank You for the letter to the Corinthians. We thank You for this awareness, that we have a role to play. And as we continue to play these roles there’s going to continue to be for such a time as this. And we are part of a greater whole. And it’s not about us trying to rise above anyone. It’s about us being the body of Christ in this world, Your body, Your work, Your kingdom and You have invited us who do not deserve to be here at all into this glorious, dramatic, beautiful story that never ends. And, so, we’re humbled and we invite your Holy Spirit to give us the eyes and ears that would make us aware of the things that are happening around us and our role in it as opposed to only what’s happening to or around us. Help us Holy Spirit. Lift our eyes to the horizon so that we can be oriented once again and see what is really going on around here. Help us Jesus we ask in Your precious name. Amen.
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Community Prayers and Praise Reports:
Good morning Daily Audio Bible. This is Lawrence in California. Just calling to pray. Father, just thank You this morning. We love You Father. We praise You. We give You thanks, honor and glory. This morning father, You have children that are desperate. They’re in desperate situations. They don’t know where to turn. They are out of strength. They are low on faith. They are at end of their rope. But Father, You can do all things. Nothing is impossible for You. So, we call You this morning to stand up and save those who are desperate, those who are crying out to You who are hurting, who are suffering, who don’t have answers, who need your provision. Thank You Father. Thank You for hearing them. Thank You for hearing them as You are hearing me right now. Thank You for responding. Thank You for being near to us even when we don’t feel You. Thank You Father You are worthy to be praised and to be thanked and to be honored and to be glorified. And we ask all these things in Your Son’s name.
Hi. My name’s Heather. I live in Chicago and I’ve been listening to the Daily Audio Bible off and on a fairly short time. This is my first time calling. I really need prayer for multiple things in my life. The most pressing one right now being that my husband and I are on the verge of splitting and I’m just very confused and don’t know what to do. I just feel frozen by fear. On top of that I struggle with depression and anxiety and have for years but since we’ve moved to Chicago it’s just gotten so much worse. I’m also unable to have children and this is something that I am having a hard time moving past. I still feel very much in a state of mourning. I have severe endometriosis and due to multiple surgeries, my body doesn’t want to conceive. In fact I am moving towards parry menopause at the age of 32. So, there are many heavy burdens on my heart and there are a lot of days where I just feel like I would rather be with the Lord than have to struggle through. So, I could really use allot of prayer. I just need God’s healing and clarity in these areas in my life and in my marriage. Thank you.
Hello. Greatest Trucker from way out west. Today’s the 14th of August, Monday. I’m listening to the program this morning and Brian was reading the book of Ezra. And Ezra was a very powerful reading this morning, where Ezra stood out there and read the bible from morning until night…and it occurred to me that Brian Hardin is the modern-day Ezra and that we are the people standing out there listening to him from morning until night. And I just want to thank God for this ministry and thank Brian for doing what he does. And in the New Testament reading today, when Paul said that ___. And so, for this ministry. In Jesus’ name. I’m praying for all you people. Keep praying for me.
Hey family, this is Viola from Maryland. I hope you’re all doing well. Brian and Jill, God bless you. God bless your ministry. Family, pray for my friend that I want to give Sneezing Jesus to this week. And that this week that her heart will be receptive in the name of Jesus. And they will support her and she will be able to accept Him into her heart in Jesus’ name. Hey Debbie and Lawrence, I want to welcome you back into God’s family. Welcome back. And I pray that God will continue to grow you in the name of Jesus. The word of God says in Psalm 63 – that God will give us hearts that follow ___ after Him, hearts that cling passionately to Him. So, I am praying in the name of Jesus that you will have such hearts, even for God and Debbie I am praying for healing for your body. From the crown of your head to the soul of your feet I am praying the Lord will touch your body, the Lord will heal you from cancer. There is nothing our God cannot do. I am trusting God for you in the name of Jesus. ___ daughter had laparoscopy and is now in intensive care, I am praying for her and praying that God will touch her body and raise her up from that sickbed in the name of Jesus. That the Lord of healing will touch her with healing in Jesus name. David, I am rejoicing with you that you reconciled with your wife and I want to use you as a point of contact so that other people in similar situations, God will restore, God will reconcile. And I’m praying for your business, that God will restore all that was lost, in the name of Jesus. Jake, I’m praying that God will wrap His arms around you, and comfort you over the loss from your Father. Listen brother, it doesn’t matter how he has died. The fact is he’s gone. So, I’m just praying God will comfort you as you mourn his loss and that you will think about good thoughts as you confide in Him in the name of Jesus. Lisa, I’m praying for you that God will touch your marriage, God will restore you and your husband, Nate, in the name of Jesus. There is nothing he cannot do. __ what is going on in your home right now. I pray that God will touch your hearts and heal you…
Hi. This is Shannon. I wanted to encourage Stacy in Washington state and Mary C. in Georgia, and Peggy in Texas. I know what it is to be sick and to be in a place where it feels very much alone. When I was 16 I had a type of autoimmune disorder and went to a host of doctors that couldn’t do anything for me. But God is good and He heard my cry. And my illness and the pain that I experienced is now a distant memory. And there’s a scripture in Psalm 107 verse 23 and 24…I believe….and it says that those that go and do business in great waters. And when people do business in the great waters, nobody can help them. Right? And when you’re in that place, when you’re sick, and no one can help you and the doctors don’t know what to do. You’re in that place, you’re in the great waters, you’re in the deep. The next verse says that these people see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep. And I am praying that you…while you’re in the deep…and you’re alone…and in your struggle…that you’re not alone. And that I’m praying. And that you will see the wonders of God in deep and you will find healing. And I found healing in complete restoration. So, I am praying that for all of you. I have your names. I pray for you every day. So, be encouraged that while the pain is great He is greater and His healing is greater.