Post by Woody Williams on Nov 21, 2005 7:50:53 GMT -5
Text for the Day -- Esther 2:1-10
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After these things, when the anger of King Ahasuerus had abated, he
remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed
against her. Then the king's servants who attended him said, 'Let
beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king. And let the king
appoint commissioners in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather
all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in the citadel of Susa
under the custody of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of
the women; let their cosmetic treatments be given them. And let the
girl who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.' This pleased
the king, and he did so.
Now there was a Jew in the citadel of Susa whose name was Mordecai
son of Jair son of Shimei son of Kish, a Benjaminite. Kish had been
carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with King
Jeconiah of Judah, whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had carried
away. Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is Esther, his cousin,
for she had neither father nor mother; the girl was fair and
beautiful, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai adopted
her as his own daughter. So when the king's order and his edict were
proclaimed, and when many young women were gathered in the citadel of
Susa in the custody of Hegai, Esther also was taken into the king's
palace and put in the custody of Hegai, who had charge of the women.
The girl pleased him and won his favour, and he quickly provided her
with her cosmetic treatments and her portion of food, and with seven
chosen maids from the king's palace, and advanced her and her maids
to the best place in the harem. Esther did not reveal her people or
kindred, for Mordecai had charged her not to tell.
Devotional
----------
Esther, a Jew in exile, became queen of the conquerors of Israel.
Esther became an instrument God used to protect his people in exile.
The Jews always maintained their identity, even though they were
often persecuted because of it. Their exile stories became strong
sources of hope when they were in difficult circumstances or
persecutions. Esther's faithfulness and loyalty to God and God's
people is a remarkable example for us.
Prayer
----------------
Give me courage to be an example of faithfulness, Lord. Amen
----------
After these things, when the anger of King Ahasuerus had abated, he
remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed
against her. Then the king's servants who attended him said, 'Let
beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king. And let the king
appoint commissioners in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather
all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in the citadel of Susa
under the custody of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of
the women; let their cosmetic treatments be given them. And let the
girl who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.' This pleased
the king, and he did so.
Now there was a Jew in the citadel of Susa whose name was Mordecai
son of Jair son of Shimei son of Kish, a Benjaminite. Kish had been
carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with King
Jeconiah of Judah, whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had carried
away. Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is Esther, his cousin,
for she had neither father nor mother; the girl was fair and
beautiful, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai adopted
her as his own daughter. So when the king's order and his edict were
proclaimed, and when many young women were gathered in the citadel of
Susa in the custody of Hegai, Esther also was taken into the king's
palace and put in the custody of Hegai, who had charge of the women.
The girl pleased him and won his favour, and he quickly provided her
with her cosmetic treatments and her portion of food, and with seven
chosen maids from the king's palace, and advanced her and her maids
to the best place in the harem. Esther did not reveal her people or
kindred, for Mordecai had charged her not to tell.
Devotional
----------
Esther, a Jew in exile, became queen of the conquerors of Israel.
Esther became an instrument God used to protect his people in exile.
The Jews always maintained their identity, even though they were
often persecuted because of it. Their exile stories became strong
sources of hope when they were in difficult circumstances or
persecutions. Esther's faithfulness and loyalty to God and God's
people is a remarkable example for us.
Prayer
----------------
Give me courage to be an example of faithfulness, Lord. Amen