Thursday 11 November, 2021

20 Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, 21 to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar 22 as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor. 23 So the Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun, doing what Mordecai had written to them. 24 For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur (that is, the lot) for their ruin and destruction. 25 But when the plot came to the king’s attention, he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head, and that he and his sons should be impaled on poles. 26 (Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur.) Because of everything written in this letter and because of what they had seen and what had happened to them, 27 the Jews took it on themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should without fail observe these two days every year, in the way prescribed and at the time appointed. 28 These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews—nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants.

Purim Established – this is the name of the celebration that results from God using Esther and Mordecai and the prayers of the believers, in saving the Jewish people in the 4^th Century BC.  The story of Esther occurs in ancient Persia – a nation of 127 lands (countries) in those days.  What an incredible story of the power of prayer, courage, sacrifice and wisdom.

I so love the story of Esther and have enjoyed reading peoples’ reflections of it through the Daily Digest.

What this story reminds me, loud and clear “GOD IS IN CONTROL”.  No matter how bad it gets, God has the final word.

Mordecai recorded these events (journaling, wrote a book), he sent letters (facebook, Instagram,..) of the success and establishes a Celebration as a result.  This celebration still continues today for the Jewish people.

What can we do today?  I believe God wants us all to share our stories of when God has come through.  Maybe it was financial, maybe it was a meeting of a key person, maybe it was a revelation from the word of God, maybe it was an answered prayer.  We need to learn to celebrate and commemorate where God comes through.  Create traditions and tell the stories to your children, grandchildren of Your God who answers prayer.  When we share the stories of our past and current God encounters, God comes to bring about new encounters and miracles in our future and in the generations to come.

Lord Jesus help me to establish celebrations whereby my family remember how good you are.  Help me to always remember what you have done and what you promise to do.  That you ultimately have the final word.  Amen.

Written by Ps. Sue Botta