"The ancients did not hide their grief." - (page 84)
When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. - Esther 4:1
On top of feeling what the other Jews felt, Mordecai must've also felt so responsible and overwhelmed.
"None was more heartbroken and afraid than the one left to wonder if the lives of his people should have been worth the bending of his proud knees to Haman. "Had I only known!" Guilt is a relentless mocker even if it's misplaced. Tearing his robes and wailing bitterly, Mordecai's grief..." - (page 87)
“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” - Joel 2:12
Return To God
"... the Jews of Persia understood their peril to be associated with their wanderings from God. They had become so worldly and so thoroughly assimilated into Persian culture that they'd lost their protective shield. God had told His people from the time of Moses that He'd protect them as long as they worshiped Him only. If they forgot Him, He would still love them but He would not shield them. Instead, He'd use their enemies to turn His people back to Him." "When word of the edict announcing their upcoming demise hit the streets, they suddenly realized they had sinned against God and took on the actions of repentant people wishing to return." - (page 85)
"Sackcloth and ashes symbolized not only the Jews' poverty of spirit before the Lord but their complete deadness without Him." - (page 86)
Something to think about:
"Has God ever allowed threat of trouble in your life to drive you to your knees?" - (page 86)
"Of all rights bestowed on us as the children of God, perhaps none exceeds the right to repent and turn back to the Lord." - Beth Moore
"I cannot count the times I've in effect said to Him, "I am dead without you. Destitute. Come and ressurect this lifeless woman from the grave." And He has never failed to do it. As Joel 2:13 so beautifully portrays, God is "gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity."" - (page 86)
Life
"Not everyone who protects us and works hard to please helps us. Esther had become a dangerously buffered and pampered queen." - (page 88)
One thing I thought of was spoiled kids and how being spoiled doesn't prepare them for reality / real life (disappointments, etc.) in some ways.
"If people around us helped us avoid every possible unpleasantry, fixed every hangnail, and anesthetized every headache for us, we'd quit learning how to deal with difficulty. We'd forget how to cope and we'd crush under the least inconvenience. In daily living, Beloved, strength comes from muscle and muscle develops with a workout. This is as true spiritually as physically. What we don't use, we lose." - (page 90)
When a person sort of lives in a bubble, he/she is not in touch with "real life" in some ways and might lose some important life-coping skills.
"Esther's superficial life was about to be shattered, and a woman much deeper than her skin was about to be unearthed. If we're blessed, the same will happen to each of us. As painful as the process may be, that which shatters our superficiality also shatters the fetters of our fragility and frees us to walk with dignity and might to our destinies. We are not the fragile flowers we've considered ourselves to be. We, like Esther, are the warrior princesses of God. - (page 90)
Feel free to comment below in regards to this post and/or things you got out of week 4 - days 1 and 2.
Thanks!
Cari
(If you are reading this in your email, you can click HERE and it will bring you to this post on the seek Him Bible study blog.)
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