This verse makes me sad! About seven or eight years ago my sister and I got iton a fight. I was so angry with her that all I could do was attack, and I said things that I didn't mean. After we forgave one another I put the memory of the argument away from me, and never thought of it again. Never, that is, until about a year or two later when she casually mentioned a hurtful thing that I'd said in that argument. I had completely forgotten that I had said it, and what's worse is that in my mind, it had been "no big deal." But, the pain I'd caused was a big deal, it was horrible. Consequently, I had that terrible, pit of your stomach guilty feeling! Knowing that I'd caused irreversible damage!
Ahasuerus had that awful feeling in verse one. His anger had subsided and he realized what he had done. He missed his wife, and regretted his actions. This was not a good thing for his advisers. They'd encouraged him to send her away, what if he began to be blame them?
The plan that the princes' devised? We'll distract him. It was too dangerous to admit fault in this situation, the King might order them to be executed. So they invented a scheme. They suggested to him that he host a contest to find a new queen. That he pick from all of the fairest maids in the kingdom. Now, that's a pretty good plan to distract him isn't it?
This situation to me is very frustrating! I hate it when someone won't admit fault and ask forgiveness! (I bet others hate it when that someone is me!) And, there was plenty of that going around wasn't there? Vashti's disobedience, Ahasuerus' anger, and Memucan's disregard for the law. This was a formula for disaster, at least through my eyes.
You see, when we see disaster, God sees building blocks! When we see sorrow, God sees clay, and when we see hopelessness, God sees a brighter future. I'm so glad that He knows what the future holds, and that I don't have to worry over it. I'm glad that He's laid the blueprint for my life, even the troubles!
"I don't worry o'er the future,
For I know what Jesus said."
-I Know Who Holds Tomorrow by Ira Forest Stanphill
It's exciting to see in Esther that this formula for disaster was turned into the perfect formula to save a people from certain death.
30 Days of Esther: Day 1 30 Days of Esther: Day 2 30 Days of Esther: Day 3
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