King Ahasuerus and Haman
were attending a banquet held by Queen Esther who invited each of
them to come. While the festivities were being enjoyed, the king
asked Queen Esther for the second time what her request of him was
even up to half the kingdom. In chapter five and verse seven we see
the beginning of her answer and we consider her pause. We read:
The verse begins, “Then answered Esther, and said,...”
What if she didn't? What if Esther decided she was never going to
answer the king's question? What if she had no regard for his desire
to fulfill her wish, and she decided to keep her mouth closed? Those
questions are vain because she did “answer” and she
“said”. Although it is a small point, the fact that she
answered became an important one. Because she answered, the process
of God continued through her, and God's divine will kept going
forward.
The verse continues, “My petition and my request is;” It
is interesting how the division of the verses came to pass in the
Bible, and this is one of those places that leaves us hanging. If we
never looked at the next verse, we would forever be held in
suspension and wonder as to what Esther's petition and request were.
However, let's consider this for a moment. Often there is what seems
to be a pause, a vacant period of time, a quiet moment, before an
answer is given. Sometimes when we pray there seems to be a pause
between the request and the answer. This can often leave us feeling
stranded, abandoned, and we sometimes wonder if our petitions and
requests are heard. One of the delightful parts to going through a
study like Esther verse by verse is because we consider moments of
pause like this. Esther began, “My petition and my request
is;”..., and we learn the benefit of the...........pause.
Next
time we will see the remainder of Esther's petition, so read ahead,
and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation” and the new marriage book “So, You Want
to Be Married” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ;
www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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