🍞 Manna for Meditation 71

💞 Dear Royal Praying Priests, shalom!

💎 “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place—but you and your father’s house will perish. Who knows whether you have attained royal status for such a time as this?” (Est 4:14, TLV)

💎 “Mordecai recorded these events and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, urging them to celebrate the fourteenth and fifteenth days of Adar every year as the days when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into celebration. These were to be days of feasting, celebration and sending presents of food to one another and giving gifts to the poor. So the Jews agreed to continue the commemoration they had begun, and do what Mordecai had written to them.” (Est 9:20-23, TLV)

Chag Purim Sameach! (Happy Purim!)

Purim is a joyous Jewish festival that commemorates the rescue of the Jewish people from Haman the Agagite who was planning to annihilate all the Jewish diaspora in the Persian Empire. Haman cast lots to determine the best day for executing his wicked plan. The Hebrew term for lots is purim, and it’s where the name of the festival of Purim comes from. The story is detailed in the book of Esther, and the day of deliverance became a day of feasting and rejoicing (Est 9:20-23).

The book of Esther is one of the only two books in the Hebrew Bible that does not mention God by name. The other is the Song of Songs. Even though the name of God is not directly disclosed, the fingerprints of God’s divine providence are all over the book of Esther.

Purim is a time of favour. Queen Esther, who was an orphaned daughter of Jewish parents and raised by her cousin Mordecai received great favour of King Ahasuerus as she rose to the position of queen (Est 2, 4:14). Initially she was reluctant to help because approaching the king in the inner courtyard without being summoned could put herself into death. But she truly put her trust into the Lord’s hidden providence, and ultimately her humility, courage compassion, and intercession did bring about the victory against all odds!

I encourage you to read the book of Esther again in this season. Get inspired, voice for God’s chosen people, pray against injustice, chose to show favour and grace to the underprivileged for such a time like this. Even most times we cannot discern how God’s providence will work things out, we know that He is always working for our good. (Rom 8:28) Amen.

Dear Heavenly Father, we come before you with thanksgiving, praise and joy. We praise You for your divine protection of Your Chosen People. We praise You for your wonderful and powerful works behind the scenes, as You always orchestrate events, details, people, and resources to work together for Your purposes and for our good. We pray for a greater desire to trust You more, to find Your goodness and to meet You in every situation even when it seems that You are hidden. May You release Your love, power, grace, shalom and hope to those who call out to You. In the Name of Yeshua we pray, Amen!