Spoken With Love: Week 2 Day 5

As Haman left the first banquet, he was flying high. That is until he passed Mordecai who, you guessed it, would not stand up and greet him. In response to this, Haman went from confident to enraged.  It is amazing as humans how fickle we can be. When Haman got home, he and his wife, along with a couple of friends, discussed this slight from Mordecai and devised a plan. Haman decided to build gallows to impale Mordecai on! After all, he was Haman, the king’s buddy, as well as the guy Queen Esther had invited to not one, but two private banquets! Haman felt he could do whatever he wanted. Yet while Haman and his friends were scheming, God was working.

Esther 6:1-12

That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. 2 It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.

3 “What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?” the king asked.

“Nothing has been done for him,” his attendants answered.

4 The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai on the pole he had set up for him.

5 His attendants answered, “Haman is standing in the court.”

“Bring him in,” the king ordered.

6 When Haman entered, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?”

Now Haman thought to himself, “Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?” 7 So he answered the king, “For the man the king delights to honor, 8 have them bring a royal robe the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head. 9 Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!’”

10 “Go at once,” the king commanded Haman. “Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.”

11 So Haman got the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!”

12 Afterward Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief,

Isn’t that the greatest twist! While people thought they were controlling the narrative, God had his own plans he was carrying out. We can learn a couple lessons from this story. First, we are not in control and we shouldn’t be trying to manipulate and direct people and situations for our own benefit. Secondly, God can work in any way He wants; even giving a King a sleepless night.

James 4:13-15

Boasting About Tomorrow

13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”