Tues.’s Devo - Divine Reversals

Read: Esther 8:1-10:3; 1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13; Psalm 37:1-11; Proverbs 21:23-24 Once Haman was out of the way, Mordecai was put in his place and given the king’s ring. Now he had the authority to put laws into place. Since what the king had written with his ring couldn’t be revoked, Mordecai wrote a new law to counteract his law. It gave the Jews the right to defend themselves against their enemies on the set day. So the opposite happened to what Haman had wanted. The Jews overpowered their enemies and all the nobles and governors in the provinces helped the Jews because they were afraid of them and of Mordecai. In Susa alone, they killed 500 men who came against the Jews. *** The next day, the king called in Esther and asked what else he could do for her and she asked for another day for the Jews to defend themselves and if the bodies of Hamans ten sons could be impaled on a pole. The king agreed. The sons were impaled and 300 more men were killed. The Jews took none of their plunder. In the other provinces they killed 75,000 of men who hated them and didn’t take any plunder. The next two days they rested and had a celebration of their victory. They rejoiced and gave gifts to one another. Mordecai sent a message saying that every year they would celebrate this great victory and called it Purim meaning “lots”. It was the day that Haman’s evil plot backfired and Haman and his sons were impaled on a sharpened pole. *** Mordecai became the prime minister with authority next to that of the king and was held in high esteem. He continued to work for the good of his people and to speak up for the welfare of all their descendants. *** Esther is the story of divine reversals. We are about to experience that same story in our world as we will see the defeat of those who want to annihilate us. We will come out the victors and see the goodness of God in the land of the living. *** In Corinthians, Paul lists the gifts of the church: apostles, prophets, teacher, miracles, healing, helps, leadership, and speaking in tongues. Then he showed them how to do their different offices - with love. No matter how good they might be in their gifts, if it isn’t done in love, it will not prosper or help God’s body. *** Paul explains what love looks like in verses 4-7. Those are so good to read over and over. All the gifts will become useless in time, but love will never expire. Faith, hope and love are the foundation of God’s kingdom. *** Lord, may we not forget the power of faith, hope and love. Thank you for stories to build up our faith like Esther. Thank you that you are always working for the good of your children and their posterity. May we exercise your gifts in our lives and do them through love.