Hard Decisions

Today is THE day!  Blogging Through The Bible begins now!  I'm so excited.  I'm excite to see where God leads me through this journey.  I'm excited for the readers of this blog.  I sincerely hope that it touches someone's life.  So, without further adieu....  

What do you do when  you are faced with hard decisions?  What about peer pressure?  Has anyone ever asked you to do something that you just wasn't comfortable doing?  Or, have you ever been asked to do something that you knew was just wrong?  What was your response?  What if it were your husband that asked you to do something that you knew you shouldn't do?

This is what happens in the first chapter of Esther.  Let's look at the main characters of this story.  King Ahasuerus (aka King Xerxes), is the ruler of an empire reaching from India to Ethiopia including Israel and Judah.  Under King Xerxes' reign, the Persian empire had grown to 127 provinces.  His military had accomplished great things and they had amassed excessive amounts of wealth.  He wanted to add Greece to his his empire, so he gathered all of the nobles and military leaders to plan the invasion.  This lead to a party that lasted for 180 days.  Even after a party that lasted 180 days, he wanted more.  He hosted a feast that would last an additional 7 days.  Now that's a party!  

On the final feast day, King Ahasuerus summons his wife, Queen Vashti.  Vashti means "beautiful woman", "beloved".  He wanted to show all of those nobles and military generals how beautiful his wife was.  What happens next is what I want to talk about.  What is so wrong with a King wanting to show off his Queen?  Or a husband wanting to show off his beautiful wife?  This is what scripture tells us:

"But Queen Vashti refused to come at the King's command..."  Esther 1:12

What?  A refusal to the King?  Why in the world would someone refuse a King?  Why would a wife refuse her husband?  This goes back to my initial questions.  Go back and read that.  These men were coming off of a 187 day party.  I'm sure that most, if not all, of the men gathered at the King's palace were intoxicated.  Wouldn't you agree?  As a woman, would you want to go into a gathering of a bunch of drunken men?  What if your husband was the one to ask you to do it?  I think she made the right choice, even though she disobeyed her King, her husband.  

Because of her refusal, there were consequences.  Isn't that the way it is with all of the decisions we make.  There are always consequences.  Unfortunately, King Ahasuerus takes the advice of those in attendance.  They felt that since Queen Vashti refused her husband's commands, that their wives would do the same.  So, of course, they felt like there should be punishment garnished upon the Queen.  The verdict is recorded in verse 19 and 20 and says, "If it please the king, let royal order go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so that it may not be repealed, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus. And let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she."  

What strikes me as sad is the King's reaction.  There was a lack of forgiveness.  He was so full of pride and had such a lack of understanding.  He could have shown mercy.  He was just callous.  I feel sympathetic for her, that she didn't have a husband that didn't understand her reasons for saying NO.

This was a hard decision for Queen Vashti.  Do you do as the law says?  Or, do you do what your conscience tells you even if it is against the law.  Acts 5:29 tells us "...we must obey God rather than men."  I'm not saying we should disobey our husbands either.   We are to be respectful to our husbands and our conduct be pure.  1 Peter 3:1-2 says "...be subject to your own husbands, so that even if so do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct."  

Let's put God first in all of our decisions and the consequences will be so much easier to take.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, your word is truth.  There is so much that we can learn from studying your word.  We can know you better and know what you have planned out for us by just spending time with you.  I thank you for these opportunities.  Help me to be more like Queen Vashti, standing up for what is right, making decisions based on your truth.  Thank you for your blessings, especially for a husband who would never ask me to do something that he knows would be displeasing to you.  Help me through this bible study to be molded into the woman and wife you would have me to be.  Forgive me for the times that I have not been that woman, wife, mother.  In Jesus' name I do pray, Amen.

Do This In Remembrance of Me

Tomorrow is a 5th Sunday.  Our church commemorates this day by partaking of Holy Communion.  We do this every 5th Sunday.  So, since we only do this four times per year, it's a really special occasion.  

Holy Communion is representative of the Last Supper.  This is the last meal that Jesus was able to have with His beloved disciples.  Paul takes the words of Jesus and proclaims that we should do this until His return in his letter to the church in Corinth.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (ESV) 

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Let's look at these two items:  the bread and the wine. 

First is the bread.  Bread is symbolic for Jesus' body.  The body that was beaten.  The body that was bruised.  The body that took lashings from a cat of nine tails.  Have you seen pictures of that?  It has pieces of broken bone on leather-like straps.  They mocked him and placed a crown of thorns upon his head.  The thorns cut into his head.  Have you ever had a cut on your forehead?  My daughter hit her head over a nightstand and she bled and bled.  I'm sure that Jesus was bleeding so badly that he had blood running down his face and into his eyes.  After being beaten so badly he had to carry his own cross.  Most men wouldn't even make it through the lashings. Can you imagine the pain and suffering that He went through? 

Next is the wine.  The wine is symbolic of Jesus' blood.  Blood is life.  All throughout the Old Testament, God required his people to offer blood sacrifices to atone for their sin.  They would offer the best of the flock or harvest.  Look at it this way:  God sent the best He had for us.  He gave us the ultimate sacrifice.  He was perfect and without blemish.  He bled and died for you and me.  And, God is a God of forgiveness and grace.

What does all this mean in regards to communion?  Well, God wants us to prepare our hearts before partaking of the Lord's Supper, Holy Communion.  When you are sitting in the pew waiting on the bread and the wine consider the following:

1.  Is there sin that I have not repented of to God?  Am I struggling with a sin that I haven't confessed?

2.  Look around.   Is there someone that you're holding a grudge against, that may even be sitting next to you?

3.  How is your current relationship with Christ?  Do you have one?

Make sure that these questions are answered before you take the bread or take the wine.  God wants us to have a clean heart so that we can truly understand what that sacrifice was.  Do this in remembrance of the one that sacrificed so much to secure our eternity with Him.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, I humbly come before you.  I ask that you create in me a clean heart.  You know what I'm struggling with.  I bring that before you now.  I ask your forgiveness.  Be with me when I face temptations and help me to make the right decisions.  Thank you for what you are doing and what you are going to do in my life.  Let me be a light that points to you.  In Jesus' precious and holy name, Amen.

The Ideal Woman

Do you ever feel like you just don't measure up? As a wife, a mother, a friend, sometimes I feel like such a failure. What gives me this idea, you ask? Well, have you ever read Proverbs 31? You know, the one chapter in the Bible that tells us about all the characteristics that a woman should strive to be. I read that chapter every single year around Mother's Day. I hear sermons on the topic almost every year around the same time. That one verse that says "An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels." That's verse 10 , by the way. Am I an "excellent" wife? Nope! Far from it. Just ask my husband.  I'll be honest, I'm the world's WORST keeper of the home.  My house looks like a tornado came through almost at all times.  The woman described in Proverbs 31 is a remarkable woman who excels in everything.  Or, at least, that is how I see her.  That doesn't describe me.  I'm a failure as a wife in many ways.

Even though I may not measure up to these standards, it does give me something to strive for.  I may never feel worthy, but I do know one thing, God loves me anyway.  So, what does this "Ideal Woman" that is described in Proverbs 31 look like?  Well, let's take a look.

First, this "ideal woman" has FAITH.  See that?  It's right there in verse 26.  It says that when she speaks it is with wisdom and is "teaching kindness".  This woman seeks wisdom.  Isn't that what Soloman asked for, wisdom?

Second, the "ideal woman" RESPECTS her husband. Proverbs 31:11 says that "the heart of her husband trusts in her".  When you show respect your husband and allow him the proper place in the home, then you do him a great service.  Allow your husband to be the head of the household.  Don't be the woman who "has to wear the pants", so to speak.  

Another characteristic of the "ideal woman" is that she is HARDWORKING.  In verse 13, it says that she "works with willing hands" and in verse 17 "she dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong."  Does that mean that I have to be the perfect "Susie Homemaker".  No, at least I hope not.  Does that mean that I need to work hard and help provide for my family?  Yes.

The final characteristic that I want to touch on is located in Proverbs 31:30.  It says "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."  Charm means "pleasant".  We can all be "pleasant".  But sometimes, we put on a front.  At least I do.  Don't you?  And beauty, well they say "beauty is in the eye of the beholder."  For me beauty comes from within.  It's how you treat people.  When you love Jesus, it's going to show.  And, let me tell you, it's beautiful.  Fear?  What is fearing the Lord?  It's not being afraid if that is what you're thinking.  Fear is recognizing that God is your judge.  Yep, he's going to determine our eternity, whether we like it or not.

So, even though the Proverbs 31 woman is out of reach for me, I can make her a model.  I can set goals based on this "ideal woman."  Her Godly character is what I want to strive for.  What about you?

The Good Life

I’m practicing for the real thing!  Sunday starts “Blogging Through The Bible” with the book of Esther.  But, I need the practice now. 

Psalm 1:1 – “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers.”

Today’s reading is from Psalm 1.  The book of Psalms is a book filled with worship, prayers, thanksgiving, from the nation of Israel to God.  We could learn a lot by delving into the book of Psalms about how we should worship.  Do you worship like that?  I know I don’t most of the time.  I think it’s time to change that.  God is worthy of our worship and praise. 

This first Psalm tells us what we must do to truly have “the good life”.  If we choose the right road, we’ll be graced with blessedness (happiness and full of blessings).  What does the blessed man do that the wicked does not?  Well, first he doesn’t ask the ungodly for advice.  Don’t ask counsel of those that are lost.  That will only lead you away from the light.  Secondly, the blessed man doesn’t “stand in the path of sinners”.  That means we must not follow the same path as those who are sinning.  Yes, I know, everyone sins.  This is different.  Sometimes, we sin unintentionally.  That’s not what I’m talking about.  I’m talking about intentionally going out and doing something that you know is not pleasing to God.  What about that party that you went to where all of your friends got drunk and you joined right in?  I’m guilty.  I made a choice to do something that I knew wouldn’t please God.  Was I blessed?  Only with regrets and a heavy heart.  Thank goodness for God’s grace and forgiveness.  Finally, the blessed man doesn’t “stand in the path of sinners”.  Well, what in the world does that mean?  Well, it means that we must not be involved or influenced in the conduct, behavior or habits of the sinners.  Really, it means that we must not act like the world.  It’s hard, isn’t it?  I know I struggle with it.  Don’t you?

Have you ever heard the song “The Ole Crossroads” by the Kingsmen?  Of course, this is a bluegrass song.  It’s one of my favorites.  You’ll find out, I have A LOT of favorites.  Would you expect anything else from me?  Here is the chorus:

“The ole crossroads now is waiting
Which one are you going to take?
One leads down to destruction
The other to the pearly gate”

This song, to me, depicts Psalm 1.  You have a choice, are you going to “walk in the counsel of the wicked”, or are you going to be the one that “delights in the law of the Lord”?  Are you going to go down the path of destruction by following what the world and society wants us to do, or are you going to follow the narrow path to the “pearly gate”?  You know, only Jesus can help us with this.  Will you ask Him to help him with your temptations?

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, you alone are worthy of my worship.  Forgive me when I don’t praise you like I should.  Help me, I pray, to be the one that chooses the right path on the crossroads that I am presented with.  Guide my way.  Create in me a heart that only wants to choose the path that doesn’t go down the “worldly” road.  Forgive me of the times that the path that I chose wasn’t pleasing to you.  Thank you, Father, for the blessings of life, health, family and friends.  In Jesus’ precious and holy name, Amen!

Esther - A Reminder of God's Promise

Sunday is the beginning.  You know.  The reason I've started this blog.  Blogging through the Bible.  The first book that I'm going to be looking at is Esther.  I've always loved the story of Esther.  I've learned a lot from her.  But, I want to share with you some basic things about Esther that maybe you've overlooked.  I know I have.  Maybe not overlooked, but just didn't know.  

Esther. Her name is derived from a Persian word meaning "star".  Did you know that?  I didn't.  She is also known as Hadassah.  She was the queen of the Persian King Ahaseurus (aka - King Xerxes).  

Who wrote the book of Esther?  Some believe that it was Mordecai.  Mordecai was Esther's cousin, who in more than one way, was like a father to her.  Others believe that Nehemiah could have been the author of the Book of Esther.  Personally, it doesn't really matter who wrote the book, only that it was written and God believed that it was important enough in His Story for it to be included in the Bible.  We'll talk about canonization another time.  

When was Esther written?  Well, a very long time ago.  The estimates place Esther being written around 464-415 B.C.  It is believed to have been written after the death of Xerxes, who was the king of the Persian Achaemenid Empire.  

Esther was instrumental in the preservation of the Jewish people.  I look forward to learning more about this woman, one who can help us strengthen our relationship with our Creator.  She was a woman of faith and courage.  She was someone that we can model our lives after.  Do you think that God only chose queens, kings, princes, and princesses to do His work?  I think not.  He takes the lowly, like you and I, and does great things through us, so that the world will be pointed toward His light.  All He wants is for us to want a relationship with Him.

Before I leave for today, I would like to leave you with one final thought:

Esther is a reminder of God's promise to us as revealed in Romans 8:28:
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose."

New Adventures

New Adventures.  I'm beginning a few of those.  First, I am beginning this blog.  I hope that this becomes something regular.  Second, next Sunday, I'm starting something called Blogging Through the Bible.  One chapter per day.  Sounds doable, right?  Third, on September 4th, I begin yet another journey.  I start as a volunteer photographer with Capturing Hopes Photography.  This wonderful organization goes into the local NICU to photograph premie babies.  God placed this on my heart months ago and I only hope that I am able to fully rely on Him to see me through.  I'm sure that I will get attached to the families, and especially, the babies.  Pray for me as I embark on these journeys.

A little bit about me, you ask?  I'm a wife, mother and accountant.  I enjoy photography and bluegrass music.  Both seem to be my passions.  Hopefully, I will be able to incorporate both into this blog.  Will you join me?