Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday, like Lent, is not mentioned in the Bible.  However, Ash Wednesday is set aside as the beginning of the Lenten season.  Lent is a time of reflection and repentance, a time of turning our hearts back to God, and a time of preparation for the resurrection of the King. 

Joel 2:12-13 says this, “Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God.”

Ashes were of significant importance in the Old Testament.  Ashes are a symbol of sacrifice and of mourning.  Esther 4:3 tells us of a time when the Jews were to be killed, and says, “And in every province, wherever the king’s command and his decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and many of them lay in sackcloth and ashes.”  The mourner puts ashes on his or her head.  In the case of Esther, the Jewish race was about to be destroyed.  Her nation showed intense grief and distress.

When God appointed Jonah to tell the people of Nineveh that God was going to destroy them for their wickedness, Jonah 3:5-7 tells us of how they responded:  “And the people of Nineveh believed God.  They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.  The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.  And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, ‘By the decree of the king and his nobles:  Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything.  Let them not feed or drink water.”

When you think of these two instances, how do you feel?  I feel ashamed.  I feel ashamed because when I face trouble or I face my sins, I’m not mournful.  I’m not mournful for the sins of the world around me.  I’m not mournful when disasters happen.  I’m not mournful when terrible things happen.  Are you?  Be honest with yourself. 

True mournfulness is when we express true grief, woe.  That is what Ash Wednesday and Lent are all about.  It is about a time of realization that we are not mournful of the things going on around us, nor for the sin in our own lives and for the lack of recognition of sin in our lives.  It’s a time to ask God for forgiveness and to turn from those sinful attitudes.  When we do this, God will bless us for it.  Turn back to him.  Create in me a clean heart, O Lord!

“Create in me a clean heart, O God,

And renew a right spirit within me.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

And renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from They presence;

Take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation;

And renew a right spirit within me.”

Let There Be Light

Can you believe it?  Only 25 days until CHRISTMAS!!!  It's hard to imagine.  Time seems to go by so quickly.  Yesterday was the first Sunday of Advent.  We notice this normally by the Hanging of the Greens.  Churches opt to decorate for this Sunday.  But, what does "Advent" mean?  Well, it means "coming".  It refers to the coming of Jesus.  That's what, or rather, who this whole blog is about.  Jesus.  Name above all names.  He brings joy to the whole world.  

Genesis 1:1 says "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."  What is important about this verse is that Jesus was there in the beginning.  John 1:1-2 tells us, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God."  Jesus was right there with God the Father when the world was created.  

But then, in Genesis 1:3, God says, "Let there be light..."  Without light the world would have remained dark.  What kind of world would that be?  Can you imagine living in a world of darkness.  If you think about it, our life is nothing but darkness until we receive Jesus in our life.  Without God, our life doesn't have purpose.  It's just dark and without meaning.  When we give ourselves to Christ, we find our purpose, to Glorify Him.  

Have you ever heard the Christmas song "Let There Be Light".  If you haven't, take a listen.  And, if you have, listen to it again.  This season, Let There Be Light in your life.  

Let There Be Light by Point of Grace

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Times of Trouble

Well, it’s time for me to get back into the groove.  I’ve been absent from the blog long enough.  This just seems to be the busiest time of year, not just for me, but for everyone.  So, without further ado, let’s get immersed in God’s Word by taking a look at Psalm 3.

Notice, this Psalm is titled “A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.”  If you’ve ever read 2 Samuel 15, it tells us of a time when Absalom, David’s son, wanted to be king, and he would stop at nothing to attain that goal.  So, Absalom plotted to have David killed.  His own son plotted his death, just so that he could become king.  Powerful is the temptation of power itself.  David finds himself fleeing Jerusalem to protect himself.  Now, put yourself in David’s position.  How would you feel if you own son was trying to kill you for a position of power?

David could have done what we all think about.  He could have taken matters into his own hands.  But, his faith allowed him to call out to God for help.  Do we call out to God in our times of trouble?  Sometimes the answer to that question is no.  But, David provides us a simple prayer that we can sing out to God when we are facing troubles in life.  Prayer begins when we realize that we cannot help ourselves.  This Psalm can be broken down into four sections.  Let’s look at each one.

The first section of this Psalm says,

“¹O Lord, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me;
² many are saying of my soul,
there is no salvation for him in God"

David is saying that his situation is so bad that his companions think that he is beyond God’s help.  They didn’t feel that God was able to help him.  Have you ever felt that your situation is so dire that God cannot help you?  Or, that because of past sin, that you deserve this trouble?  Do your friends fell like you are just getting what you deserve?

Now look at the second part of the Psalm:

“But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,

my glory, and the lifter of my head.

I cried aloud to the Lord,

and he answered me from his holy hill.."

Faith.  That is what David had.  He felt that his situation could and would be handled by God alone.  David says that God is his shield.  Like in war, if you’re under attack, you need a shield.  It is your first line of defense.  Notice, David isn’t asking God to be his shield.  This is a statement of fact, that God is David’s shield.  The image of God being out shield is mentioned several times in the Psalms.  David goes on and says that he is the “lifter of my head.”  David was recognizing that God is more than just his protection.  God is the one that shows him glory.  What do you find your glory in?  Fame?  Power?  Prestige?  Possessions?  Beauty?  Position?  Achievements?  David found his glory in the Lord.  David cried out to the Lord.  Charles Spurgeon said this, “Surely, silent prayers are heard.  Yes, but good men often find that, even in secret, they pray better aloud than they do when they utter no vocal sound.”  Do you cry aloud to God?  Sometimes I have a hard time saying my prayers aloud.  What if what I say doesn’t make sense to others?  I know God hears my heart rather than what comes out of my mouth when I pray to him.  But sometimes, I just find it difficult. 

The third part of this Psalm says,

“⁵ I lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
⁶ I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around."

David says that because God is able to sustain him, he is able to rest.  David was under a lot of pressure.  When you’re under pressure, you have a tendency of not being able to sleep, to toss and turn.  David also points out that he was able to wake.  When you’ve got a son out there trying to kill you, waking up is a blessing indeed.  God is also makes it possible for David to be unafraid even when ten thousand people surround him.  God makes it possible to stand against any foe or trouble that we may face.  God will deliver us in our times of trouble if we turn to Him.

The last section of this Psalm says this,

“⁷ Arise, O Lord!
Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked..
⁸ Salvation belongs to the Lord;
your blessing be on your people!”

David’s faith was on what God had done in the past, this gave him the confidence of what God was going to do in the future.  David isn’t looking for just protection, but victory as well.  He knew that the victory was his if he relied on God to see him through.  When you face a threat, who do you rely on? 

What kind of trouble are you facing right now?  Use this Psalm to help you pray to God for help in your troubled time.  Place your trust in God to deliver you from your trouble.  God is the source of salvation and blessing to His people.

Prayer:  "Heavenly Father, you are a shield in times of trouble.  Thank you for providing protection to me when I face trials and temptations.  I ask that you continue your protection, even when I know I don't deserve it.  As the Psalm says, "Salvation" belongs to you alone.  Thank you for salvation from my enemies, from my troubles, and especially, thank you for your Salvation that was offered through your son, Jesus Christ.  Give us, O Lord, strength to stand against the enemy.  In Jesus name I do pray, Amen.

Worship

What does it mean to worship?  Well worship is defined as "the reverent LOVE and devotion accorded a deity, an idol, or a sacred object."  God wants us to worship Him.  We worship God out of fear (not being afraid, but of awe), devotion, reverence.  How do we do that?  We can sing, shout, cry out.

Why do we worship?
For starters, we worship because of the blessings that He gives.  Second, we worship in spite of difficult circumstances.  And also, because of His grace and mercy.

Psalm 66:18 says, "If I had cherished iniquity (sin) in my heart, the Lord would not have listened."

What kind of worshiper does God want me (and you) to be?  He tells us in Psalm 1:12:  "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; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night." 

Stuart Townsend and Keith Getty penned the song "In Christ Alone".  You may have heard portions of it from the Newsboys in a song by the same name.  It says these profound words:

"In Christ alone my hope is found, He is my light, my strength, my song; this Cornerstone, this solid ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm."

Psalm 34 tells us how to praise and worship and the promise that comes from that action. 

Let's look at those verses:

Action                                                       Promise
(v.1)    extol (praise)                                always speak His name
(v.2)    boast                                              rejoice who God is
(v.3)    magnify                                         exalt His name forever
(v.4)    seek                                                deliver from fears
(v.5)    look to Him                                  never be ashamed
(v.6)    cry                                                  save from troubles
(v.9-10) fear                                              not lack good things

My final thoughts I will close with Psalm 103:1, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name!"

Stepping Out In Faith

How do you respond to crisis?  Have you ever had to step out in faith?  In chapter 7 of Esther, we see her courageously reveals her heritage to save her people.  She then exposes Haman for the evil man that he is.  

In this scripture we are taken to the second feast that Esther has prepared for King Ahasuerus and Haman.  And what a feast it was!  The king again asks Esther what her heart's desire was, that he would grant her wish, because he was so pleased with her.  She responds the following way:

"Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be granted me for my wish, and my people for my request.  For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have been silent, for our affliction is not to be compared with the loss to the king.” (v. 3-4)

Esther was bold in her request.  She was stepping out in faith.  She believed that God would save her and her people.  She was able to point out to the king the evil deeds of Haman.  It says in Psalm 73:12-13,

"This is what the wicked are like—
always carefree, they increase in wealth.
Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure;
in vain have I washed my hands in innocence."

Doesn't this describe Haman perfectly?  Are you ever faced with the wicked?  Do you ever feel like the wicked always prospers?  Haman was one of these wicked.  He was elevated into a high position all the while plotting the destruction of the Jewish people.  I'm sure when we feel like others are elevated to positions that we don't deserve because of their wicked doings, that they will never be punished for those deeds.  But, in the end, they will.  It may not be in the time that we think it should happen.  Everything always happens in God's time.  Just as it did with Haman.  

Remember this:  God will honor you when  you boldly do what is right!

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."