When you move from one house to the next, you have to put the old one in the rear view mirror. You can’t go back and help yourself to what’s in the fridge. Believer’s baptism is a public expression of leaving the old self behind, and walking in the newness of life.
It’s one thing to know “about” God, but you don’t truly know him until you risk it.
If you want to be on the right side of history, or want to be remembered for some accomplishment, the best way to get there is through humble reverence and awe of the God who calls you to repentance.
As the story of Esther comes to a close, it leaves us with a celebration and a choice to make.
With the enemy (Haman) out of the picture, the problem remains that death for the Jews is still on the horizon. The mediator must go to work again.
The pivotal moment in the story of Esther is not the moment(s) of heroism and courage. It's a little less sexy than that, and a lot more ordinary.
Esther chapter 4 describes Esther and Mordecai’s reaction to Haman’s legislation. Esther now must decide: Am I Esther or Hadassah?
Sometimes it appears that evil gets to have a field day, while those who are trying to do what's right get trampled. Is it worth the effort to be a Christian?
We meet two more important characters in the story of Esther, and what we learn in the process is that the heroes of scripture aren’t always quite as amazing as we might think.