Daily Reading: Esther 4:1-11 “So Esther’s maids and Eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them.” vs. 4
Knowledge is power! When someone understands or realizes something, his action changes. There are people who are destined to be great but they operate so low and beggarly because of lack of knowledge. Some people are in a position to deliver the whole nation but they deliver no one or deliver just a few. Such was the case of Gideon. The LORD ordained him to be the deliverer of His people- Israel from the hands of the Midianites who had prevailed against them and greatly impoverished them for seven years.
Gideon the ‘supposed to be’ deliverer lacked knowledge of God’s will and of who he was and so was afraid of the Midianites. He actually hid himself and was threshing wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites. The Angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him- “The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valour!” Gideon wondered what manner of greeting that was and wondered why it seemed that God had forsaken them. Note that the mighty man of valour did not know what has been deposited in him! The deliverer did not know he got what it takes to deliver the whole nation of Israel! That was an absolute lack of knowledge! Beloved, do you know that you are fully loaded by God to intercede on behalf of so many people starting from your family to the whole world? Do you know that the well-being of many are attached to your intercession?
The LORD told Gideon to tap into the already deposited might in him and save Israel from the hands of the Midianites because He had sent him and will be with him. Gideon went in the revelation of the LORD and delivered the Israelites. Glory to Jesus! In our reading today, Haman the enemy of the Jews plotted to have all the Jews killed. He wrote and made the king sign the document to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day and to plunder their possessions. When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sack cloth and ashes, went out into the midst of the city crying with a loud and bitter cry. There was great mourning among the Jews with fasting, weeping, wailing and many laid in sackcloth and ashes. When Queen Esther heard that Mordecai was crying in the city, even in front of the king’s gate wearing sackcloth and ashes, she was deeply distressed and sent garments to clothe him. Note that she was deeply distressed but the much she could do was to send garments to clothe his uncle without seeking to know and deal with the source of the anguish.
Beloved child of God, have you been trying to cover the problems and challenges in your family, locality, lineage and even your life without seeking to know the depth, cause and then deal with it once and for all? You might have been sending out money to the affected ones, paying hospital bills, paying school fees for the ones that their parents died untimely, starting businesses all over again for those with constant business failures without knowing that something is seriously wrong. Mordecai refused to collect the garment. He knew that it was not a matter of clothing him. Then Esther sent her attendant to inquire what was happening from Mordecai. Mordecai through the attendant- Hathach, told her all that had happened and also gave her a copy of the letter. He told her to go to the king and make supplication and plead before him for her people [intercede]. Esther understood what was happening but guess what? She had some excuses. She was afraid. The law had it that anyone who goes into the inner court of the king who was not called should be put to death, except the king raises his golden scepter. She had not been called by the king for thirty days. Her excuse sounded good but Mordecai refused. Beloved, what excuses do you have? Are you afraid? Do you feel that you are not capable? Let us continue tomorrow!
Prayer: Father of light, open my eyes to see the depth and severity of the problems facing my family and environment. Give me the boldness to stand as an intercessor knowing fully well that your presence, grace, strategies and strength are available for me in the name of Jesus Christ.
