Blessed is the Beloved

 

Bible Passage: Esther 5

Key Scripture: Esther 5:10‭b-‬13

"...Then he invited his friends to his house and asked his wife Zeresh to join them. He boasted to them about how rich he was, how many sons he had, how the king had promoted him to high office, and how much more important he was than any of the king's other officials. “What is more,” Haman went on, “Queen Esther gave a banquet for no one but the king and me, and we are invited back tomorrow. But none of this means a thing to me as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the entrance of the palace.” (Esther 5:10‭b-‬13 GNT)

"...There he sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh. Then Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, the large number of his sons, and every instance in which the king had magnified him and how he had promoted him over the officials and servants of the king. Haman also said, “Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the banquet she had prepared; and tomorrow also I am invited by her [together] with the king. Yet all of this does not satisfy me as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

(Esther 5:10‭b-‬13 AMP)

Observation:

a. He was filled with indignation against Mordecai: 

Miserable Haman! Honored by both the king and queen of Persia, yet the disapproval of one man makes him feel worthless. This is an accurate description of how empty the rewards of this world are.

i. Haman’s deep-seated insecurities and need to be honored by everybody means that he could never be happy; God meant this hunger for acceptance in each of us to be ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ – because we are accepted in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6), accepted before God because of who we are in Jesus.

ii. Haman’s problem wasn’t Mordecai, it was the emptiness in his own heart. Even if he solved the “Mordecai problem,” it would not fill the void in his heart.

iii. “The soul was made for God, and nothing but God can fill it and make it happy.” (Clarke)

Application:

It's better to please God rather than people. As human as I am, I can't help but fail and disappoint people. As a Christian, I should not let it affect me but should humble me to fix my mind and heart more on what satisfies God the most. God's pleasure should be my top priority and how the world and people view me should not be of my great concern.

God's favor is already upon me since I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour, and if Jesus is truly my Lord and Saviour, why should I care more about what people say or think of me?

Well, this doesn't apply to receiving some constructive feedback I get from people who truly care and value my growth as a person especially as a child of God. I should know how to listen and value their opinions as well since I also have some blind spots, things that I'm not aware of that I should improve on and ask the Holy Spirit to help me grow in these areas.

However, not all people truly care about me and what they think or say don't really come out of the place of love but out of jealousy, fear, hatred, or insecurity. This is when I should ask God's help to have a discerning mind and heart who I should listen and believe.

Prayer:

Dear God, you know my inmost thoughts and know in the depths of my heart who I really am.

Search me, O Lord Jesus,  if there's any wicked way in me, evil thoughts and selfish actions.

Forgive me Lord Jesus, every time I displease you and dishonor Your name. 

Sorry for the times I listen to the lies of the Enemy (Satan) than what Your word (the Bible) says. 

Sorry too for the moments I choose to please people and crave for more appreciation from them than from You.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for blessing me with people who remind me about my true identity and my true purpose and calling in my life. 

I thank You Lord Jesus for using them to encourage and rebuke me so I can grow more in Your likeness and do what You are called me to do for the glory of Your name.

May You always remind me Jesus  of my true identity through Your Word and comfort me with Your love through the power of the Holy Spirit.

In Jesus' mighty Name I pray. Amen.

Memory Verse:

Blessed and worthy of praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ,

just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world, 

so that we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven]

and blameless in His sight. 

In love He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself

 as [His own] children through Jesus Christ,

in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will— 

to the praise of His glorious grace and favor, 

which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved [His Son, Jesus Christ]. 

(Ephesians 1:3‭-‬6 AMP)

Credits:

Enduring Word Bible Commentary

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