My heart is overflowing with a good theme!
I have been thinking about God's favour. It really stemmed from watching the film One Night with The King (see earlier post). I re-read Esther. What a great book-especially in the New Living Translation. What caught my attention, in particular, was two things:
1. How Mordecai was honoured for spoiling a plot against the King and 2. Esther's entrance into the courts to ask the King to spare the life of the Jews.
The latter had Esther entering the courts with a resolve of "if I perish, I perish." She had spent three days fasting with no food or water and praying. Three days with no food and water. That's pretty intense. And then she prepared herself and went before the King. And, as the royal decree goes, if you come before the King uninvited he has every right to kill you. You will only be spared if he extends the golden royal scepter to you.
This makes me think of God's favour. How we come before Him, into His presence and how He extends His scepter towards us. How He welcomes us. The joy that His heart has at seeing us, just as King Xerxes was thrilled with the appearance of his queen. King Xerxes was so excited to see her that he promised Esther up to half of his kingdom--the Persian Empire! That's a lot of kingdom. And what was Esther's response? Come have dinner with me and then I will ask you. What a queen! Here is the King offering her anything she wants, and she asks for intimacy. She asks for relationship. She asks for the privilege to serve him. What a queen! How I desire to be like her before the throne of My King. God grants me His favour. He answers me with yes and amen. To what my heart can believe and receive by faith, He will give me and I inherit His kingdom in the process. Oh, that I would answer my King with the wise words of Esther: I just want You, my King. I just want to dine with You, I just want to know You more. I just long to serve You with kindness and refresh You with my love.
O Lord, I prepare my heart to come before Your throne. Grant me Your favour, extend Your royal scepter to me, and let me ask you to come and speak with me. Ymmmhmmm...I love you Jesus!
Thoughts on Mordecai still to come...time permitting.