{"id":14976,"date":"2013-10-09T00:01:37","date_gmt":"2013-10-09T05:01:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/?p=14976"},"modified":"2013-10-08T20:52:14","modified_gmt":"2013-10-09T01:52:14","slug":"esther-chapter-610-11","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/2013\/10\/09\/esther-chapter-610-11\/","title":{"rendered":"Esther – Chapter 6:10-11"},"content":{"rendered":"

Be honest.\u00a0\u00a0 Don\u2019t you just LOVE it when hateful people get what\u2019s coming to them?\u00a0 Of COURSE you do!\u00a0 Me too.\u00a0 This is the part of the Esther story that almost makes me laugh out loud.\u00a0\u00a0 We see in verses 10 and 11 that Haman is utterly humiliated \u2013publicly<\/span>! \u00a0Can you imagine <\/b>what that must have been like for Haman to dress Mordecai in the King\u2019s robe and crown, and then<\/b> have to parade him around town proclaiming \u201cThis is what is done for the man the King delights to honor!\u201d (verse <\/span>11). \u00a0Haman (the man who, no doubt, made sure to tell anyone who would listen how much he hated Mordecai ) not only had to do this in front of his peers and subjects, Haman obviously was not the man the King delighted to honor! <\/i>\u00a0\u00a0In the chapter to come we will see the full extent of his downfall.\u00a0 Take that<\/i><\/b>, you jerk!<\/p>\n

But even as I read the scriptures this morning, the Holy Spirit convicted me of my attitude and asked me a couple questions.\u00a0 Is this how you really are supposed to think, Robin?\u00a0 Did I delight in Haman\u2019s punishment? <\/i>\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

\"Wk6_Caddell_Esther\"<\/a>Whoa. I just got checked by the Holy Spirit.\u00a0 Time to take that thought captive and make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Let\u2019s answer the second question first…just so we\u2019re on the same page.\u00a0 The answer is NO.\u00a0 Evil will be punished, because God is a just and holy God, and therefore cannot (and will not) tolerate sin.\u00a0 He does not, however, delight in it.\u00a0 2 Peter 3:9 says \u201cThe Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness.\u00a0 He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.\u201d\u00a0 Do you see what the Scripture says \u2013He wants EVERYONE<\/strong> to come to repentance. Even hateful Haman.\u00a0 You know those people in your mind that are the worst scum of the Earth, ever?\u00a0 He wants them, too.\u00a0 Which brings me back to the first question the Holy Spirit is using to correct me (and perhaps you, too\u2026).<\/p>\n

Is this really how I am supposed to think?<\/i><\/b>\u00a0\u00a0 Well, sisters, the answer is…<\/span> no, not really<\/span>. To know that evil will eventually be no more and that God will even out the score brings a great amount of comfort! \u00a0But let\u2019s get back to the focus of this study, shall we?\u00a0 Submission<\/b>.\u00a0 If I want to truly be more like Christ, if I want my will to decrease so that His will can increase in me (John 3:30), then I MUST<\/b> submit my will, in all things. That includes wanting to get even or to get revenge.<\/p>\n

Haven\u2019t we all had a \u201cHaman\u201d in our lives, at some time or another?\u00a0 Maybe not so drastic that they wanted us dead \u2013 but haven\u2019t we all had someone who \u201cgot one over on us?\u201d\u00a0 Perhaps there is someone who makes your life miserable at work.\u00a0 A \u201cfriend\u201d who insists on outdoing everything you do, and rubbing your nose in it. Maybe you have a neighbor that HATES you.\u00a0 Or maybe someone just cheated you out of something you worked hard for.\u00a0 It could be something as simple as getting cut off in traffic!\u00a0 But it could be more heinous \u2013 you or your family has been victim<\/span> of harm or abuse.\u00a0 The bottom line is, we all have at one time or another wanted to get revenge for an offense made against us.\u00a0\u00a0 We definitely<\/i> haven\u2019t prayed for God\u2019s favor on that person!<\/p>\n

But we should.<\/p>\n

Romans 12:17-21 presents a challenging passage about love:<\/p>\n

Do not repay anyone evil for evil.\u00a0 Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.\u00a0 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.\u00a0 Do not take revenge, but leave room for God\u2019s wrath, for it is written: \u2018It is mine to avenge, I will repay,\u201d says the Lord.\u00a0 On the contrary, \u2018If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.\u00a0 In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.\u2019\u00a0\u00a0 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.<\/p>\n

Wow \u2013 is that some heavy lifting, or what?\u00a0 Give your enemy a drink if he\u2019s thirsty? \u00a0I know sometimes I would rather hit someone upside the head with a full bucket of water than<\/span> give that person a drink out of love.\u00a0 But as I am called to be more like Christ, and as God keeps trying to skim out the garbage in my life to make me more pure, then I MUST\u00a0 think of any offending person as someone that God desperately wants to reach for his Kingdom.\u00a0 He doesn\u2019t want ANYONE to perish, remember?\u00a0 All people are created by God \u2013 in His image<\/i> \u2013 and He wants all people to come to Him.\u00a0 This is not going to be an easy one to master.\u00a0 But forgiving someone an offense and PRAYING for those who persecute us brings us to such an incredible place of submission and humility that God can work miracles \u2013 in our hearts AND in our enemies!<\/p>\n

\u00a0*****<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s pray<\/span>:<\/strong><\/p>\n

God, thank You for being a just AND loving God!\u00a0 Thank You for Your forgiveness of my<\/i> offenses and help me to forgive others as You have forgiven me.\u00a0\u00a0 Lord, help me when I want to seek revenge for wrongs done to me and when I would rather wish harm on someone than good. \u00a0Pour me out so that YOU can increase in me. Help me to rest assured that my life rests in the palm of Your hand and know that You will avenge any wrong done to me \u2013 the daughter of the King!\u00a0 May my words, thoughts and actions reflect Your love in my life \u2013 help me to be more like Your beautiful Son every day.\u00a0 In His name we pray.<\/p>\n

Amen.<\/p>\n

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

Be honest.\u00a0\u00a0 Don\u2019t you just LOVE it when hateful people get what\u2019s coming to them?\u00a0 Of COURSE you do!\u00a0 Me too.\u00a0 This is the part of the Esther story that almost makes me laugh out loud.\u00a0\u00a0 We see in verses 10 and 11 that Haman is utterly humiliated \u2013publicly! \u00a0Can you imagine what that must […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":132,"featured_media":15115,"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":[2243,3830,3110,3511,3475,2052,3920,3512,10,425,436,3685,506,3922,1305,554,3924,620,2054,715,791,3923,2800,3921,3474,3925,1022],"class_list":["post-14976","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-womens","tag-2-corinthians-105","tag-2-peter-39","tag-anger","tag-book-of-esther","tag-darlene-schacht","tag-esther","tag-esther-610-11","tag-esther-the-beauty-of-courageous-submission","tag-forgiveness","tag-girlfriends-coffee-hour","tag-god","tag-haman","tag-holy-spirit","tag-humiliation","tag-humility","tag-jesus","tag-john-330","tag-love","tag-mordecai","tag-obedience","tag-prayer","tag-punishment","tag-repentance","tag-revenge","tag-robin-caddell","tag-romans-1217-21","tag-submission","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Wk6_Caddell_Esther.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p39pHp-3Ty","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14976","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=14976"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14976\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15131,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14976\/revisions\/15131"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15115"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14976"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14976"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14976"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}