{"id":14311,"date":"2013-09-04T01:00:03","date_gmt":"2013-09-04T06:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/?p=14311"},"modified":"2013-09-02T13:01:05","modified_gmt":"2013-09-02T18:01:05","slug":"esther-chapter-110-15","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/2013\/09\/04\/esther-chapter-110-15\/","title":{"rendered":"“Esther” Chapter 1:10-15"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Week<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cBut when the attendants delivered the king\u2019s command, Queen Vashti refused to come\u201d (Esther 1:12, NIV). \u00a0Here we see the pivotal action that paved the way for Esther to come onto the scene in the next chapter. \u00a0Disobedience or a refusal to submit.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll have to admit…for a long time I\u2019ve sided with Queen Vashti!\u00a0 What was so wrong??\u00a0 I wouldn\u2019t want to be the only woman in a room full of men that have been drinking for seven days (really, seven days??), would you? \u00a0According to some Jewish historians, Vashti was to appear wearing only her crown.\u00a0 To me, her refusal seemed appropriate, if not a way to protect herself. \u00a0I would bet that for any number of women that have read this story, each one would have thought of a reason that the Queen\u2019s actions were justified. \u00a0However, Darlene makes a great point, and this is the kicker: \u201c\u2026the scripture doesn\u2019t give us any valid reason she didn\u2019t.\u00a0 So making excuses for her would be speculation at best\u201d (page 13).\u00a0 So there it is.\u00a0 If the Bible wanted the Queen\u2019s actions to be justified, then a valid reason would have been given for her refusal, but we don\u2019t have one. \u00a0The simple truth is: Vashti was given a command which she refused. \u00a0We see later in the chapter that she is punished \u2013 stripped of her role and privileges.<\/p>\n

This made me wonder. \u00a0How often does God give us a command that we don\u2019t want to obey? \u00a0Just like reading about Queen Vashti, we want to justify her disobedience and ours<\/em> through the filter of our own wishes.\u00a0 God commands us to submit \u2013 to our husbands, to the will of Jesus \u2013 and we give reasons (excuses, really) of why we shouldn\u2019t. \u00a0I know many of us have difficult husbands! Some of us have husbands that are abusive, indifferent, not in line with the will of God.\u00a0 Many of us see God as a difficult taskmaster, a commander, one who is angry with us. \u00a0It\u2019s hard to willingly allow ourselves to submit to the will of someone who may not have our best interests at heart, isn\u2019t it? \u00a0On the other hand, some of us are simply not interested in being submissive! \u00a0It feels \u201carchaic,\u201d as if we are supposed to be weak doormats to be walked on, when we are strong, liberated, independent women \u2013 right?\u00a0 I\u2019m my husband\u2019s partner, not his slave. \u00a0\u00a0All justifiable feelings, ladies, but let\u2019s look at the Scripture again.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut when the attendants delivered the king\u2019s command, Queen Vashti refused to come.\u201d\u00a0 The King commanded. \u00a0She refused. \u00a0We really do treat God the same way. \u00a0He gives us commandments. \u00a0Some we obey…some we flat out refuse.\u00a0 Can we be honest with ourselves? \u00a0\u00a0If we don\u2019t want to do what God commands, then we don\u2019t do it.\u00a0 I\u2019m not trying to be harsh, it\u2019s just the truth! \u00a0 If we want to improve, if we want to become less so that God can become more within us, then we have to start thinking about submission from God\u2019s perspective, and not from the world\u2019s perspective. \u00a0Here\u2019s more truth for you \u2013 GOD LOVES YOU!!! \u00a0All day, every day.\u00a0 He wants what is best for you. He wants you to have a beautiful, joyful, powerful, abundant life. When you can really wrap your head around the fact that God loves you, then it makes it much easier to submit to His commands \u2013 because they are not burdensome (I John 5:3); they are in your best interest!<\/p>\n

Consider the ultimate example of submission, Jesus. \u00a0He obeyed, even to the point of death (Philippians 2:8)! Would you consider Him a doormat?\u00a0 Weak? \u00a0A slave?\u00a0 I would think not<\/strong>. Was His life free from conflict?\u00a0 No. \u00a0Did he have to do things He would have preferred not to do? \u00a0Yes. \u00a0Jesus lived\u00a0His life as an example for ALL of us \u2013 so that we can pattern our lives after His. Submitting our lives to the will of God does not make us weak, mindless puppets \u2013 it\u2019s an act of courage and strength! \u00a0In fact, when we submit to God, our submission brings us rewards \u2013 here and in heaven! \u00a0In James 4:6 and\u00a07; James writes: “\u2018God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.\u2019 Submit yourselves, then, to God.” \u00a0(He also says in verse 7 to resist the devil and he will flee from you, further proof that in submission to God you have the power and authority of God residing in you \u2013 I\u2019d say that\u2019s a reward, wouldn\u2019t you?)\u00a0 A heart obedient to the will of God is beautiful!<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s vow today to live lives of daily submission. \u00a0In areas where it seems difficult (if not impossible!), let\u2019s ask God for strength, courage, and a willingness to do as He asks. Let\u2019s not sit in the seat of the skeptic.\u00a0 Let\u2019s not view submission like the world does.\u00a0 Vashti\u2019s disobedience knocked her out of a place of privilege \u2013 let\u2019s not<\/em> follow her example!\u00a0 We\u2019ll see in the days and weeks to follow how submission to the King brought honor and reward to Esther and how submission to our King (God) will bring honor and reward to us! \u00a0Let\u2019s try it today \u2013 when the King summons us, let\u2019s throw on our crown and run to His presence \u2013 \u201cHere I am!\u201d<\/p>\n

May God reward you for your obedience today!<\/p>\n

Let’s Pray<\/span>:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Holy God, thank You for Your abundant love and provision for us. \u00a0Thank You for wanting to have a relationship with us, and that You give us direction out of a desire for our well-being. \u00a0 Holy Spirit, help us to live our lives in submission. \u00a0Help us where we are reluctant to obey. \u00a0Help us to love, respect, and follow our husbands \u2013 and You even more so.<\/p>\n

Lord, open our hearts and our minds to a deeper understanding of You.\u00a0 Help us to receive the teachings and blessings that You want to bountifully bestow upon us.\u00a0 Guard our minds, protect our families, heal what is broken, and lift us up when we fall. \u00a0I thank You, Lord, for every woman taking part in our study \u2013 may she feel Your arms wrapped firmly around her today.<\/p>\n

Fill us with Your Spirit, Lord; help us to be salt and light. \u00a0In the blessed name of Your Son Jesus.<\/p>\n

Amen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cBut when the attendants delivered the king\u2019s command, Queen Vashti refused to come\u201d (Esther 1:12, NIV). \u00a0Here we see the pivotal action that paved the way for Esther to come onto the scene in the next chapter. \u00a0Disobedience or a refusal to submit. I\u2019ll have to admit…for a long time I\u2019ve sided with Queen Vashti!\u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":132,"featured_media":14312,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[8],"tags":[2354,1266,3475,2052,3476,425,3480,715,3484,727,3479,3478,3483,3482,3474,1022,3471,3472,3473,3481,3477,2209],"class_list":["post-14311","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-womens","tag-1-john-53","tag-christian-womens-fellowship","tag-darlene-schacht","tag-esther","tag-esther-112","tag-girlfriends-coffee-hour","tag-james-46-7","tag-obedience","tag-obedience-to-god","tag-online-womens-bible-study","tag-philippians-28","tag-queen-vashti","tag-resist-submit","tag-resist-the-devil-and-he-will-flee","tag-robin-caddell","tag-submission","tag-submission-to-god","tag-submission-to-husband","tag-submissive-wife","tag-submit-yourselves-then-to-god","tag-the-beauty-of-courageous-submission","tag-will-of-god","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/Week-1_dailysubmission_Caddell.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p39pHp-3IP","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14311","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/132"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14311"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14311\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14353,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14311\/revisions\/14353"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14312"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14311"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14311"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14311"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}