April 9, 2016
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

False Conclusions

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Opening Prayer

Holy Father, from You all good proceeds. I pray that faith, hope and love will proceed from me today.

Read Esther 6:1-14

[1] That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. [2] It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. [3] “What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?” the king asked. “Nothing has been done for him,” his attendants answered. [4] The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai on the pole he had set up for him. [5] His attendants answered, “Haman is standing in the court.” “Bring him in,” the king ordered. [6] When Haman entered, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?” Now Haman thought to himself, “Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?” [7] So he answered the king, “For the man the king delights to honor, [8] have them bring a royal robe the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head. [9] Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!'” [10] “Go at once,” the king commanded Haman. “Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.” [11] So Haman got the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!” [12] Afterward Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief, [13] and told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him-you will surely come to ruin!” [14] While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet Esther had prepared.

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Reflect

“Gospel humility is not thinking more of myself or less of myself, but thinking of myself less” (Timothy Keller).

The next chapters are quite comical as serendipities tumble over each other, resulting in complete reversals of fortunes. Due to a random historical reminder on a sleepless night, Xerxes realized that the normal protocol to honor a worthy deed had not been followed and this omission must be rectified. Haman, who arrived at the right time to contribute advice, forgot his earlier intention to brief the king on Mordecai’s impending execution. Instead, his preoccupation with his own honor took over and he incorrectly assumed that the honor planned by the king was for him. So he dreamed big! To be paraded in public, dressed in the king’s robe, mounted on an identifiably regal horse and announced by a high-standing official would be a fitting tribute for the person the king “delights to honor” (6). We can only imagine Haman’s shame as he obediently led Mordecai, his avowed enemy, through the city streets.

Haman’s self-obsessed scheming had seriously backfired. Instead of Mordecai being taken to his execution, he returned to his normal place of work. Instead of Haman ending the day with jubilation at Mordecai’s demise and his own exaltation, he arrived home grief-stricken to warnings that his own future was on the line. He would be the loser in his battle with the Jews.

It’s easy to jump to conclusions to suit our presuppositions! Even with the best of motives, our logic or wishful thinking can leap ahead of reality. In a less commendable scenario, if we have our hearts set on our own honor and prestige, we might presume our ways to be God’s ways (Isa. 55:8-9). It is not difficult to be led astray by our own desires, to consequences we later regret. That “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble” (1 Pet. 5:5) is a timeless reality check.

Apply

Thank God that he is always working towards his big-picture plans. Reflect on a current situation where you need his discernment of your circumstances to draw the right conclusions.

Closing prayer

Lord, I ask for the gift of discernment, so that I can see clearly Your intentions for me.

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