Tag: Simply Said

Such a Time as This

Esther 4:14 “…Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

Have you heard the story of Queen Esther?   It is full of drama, power, romance and intrigue.  Esther was a stunningly beautiful Jewish woman who became the queen of Persia around 480 years before Jesus walked on this earth.  If you don’t know much about Persia, don’t worry.  Neither did I.  All you need to know is that it was huge, and many Jews ended up there after they were exiled from Jerusalem more than 100 years before.

So, the story in a nutshell goes like this.  The king of Persia was named King Xerxes and when his first queen (not Esther) refused to make an appearance at a party he was throwing, he basically kicked her out.  Then he went on the hunt for a new queen.  This is when he met Esther.  She was beautiful and when presented to King Xerxes, he took a liking to her, so she became the next queen. 

How crazy was it that a simple Jewish woman would suddenly find herself the queen of the biggest empire in the world?  Why would God bless her like that?  Has this ever happened to you?  Do you ever wonder why God has blessed you with an amazing job, a beautiful home, spare time or creativity?  He didn’t place you where you are so you could lounge around all day with wine and cheese or post pictures on your social media pages.  He placed you there for a reason. 

While Queen Esther was living her best life in the palace, a scoundrel name Haman convinced the King to send out a decree that basically said all Jews should be killed on the 13th day of the 12th month.  Well Queen Esther was a Jew, but she hadn’t told the King about her heritage because her Uncle Mordecai had told her not to.  But now Mordecai sent her a message that said she needed to save her people by speaking to the King about the decree.  She needed to tell King Xerxes that she was Jewish.  Esther was scared.  She had a pretty comfy life and she didn’t even know if the King would speak to her.  But then Mordecai said the famous words from our Bible passage above, “Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

It is God who has given you your job, your home, your time and your strengths.  God is giving you the opportunity to use these resources for his kingdom where he has placed you. So, speak up at work.  Tell your colleagues about the really cool story you heard during the sermon at church.  Invite your neighbors to your home and get to know them.  Use your spare time to volunteer at your child’s school so you can show them what a loving Christ centered parent looks like.  Don’t miss your kingdom assignment because you are too caught up in your comfy life.  Perhaps you were put in this place for just such a time as this.

Dear Jesus, open my eyes so I can see the people around me that need your kingdom. I know you have placed me here for a reason. I am ready to help. Amen.

Take My Yoke

Matthew 11:29-30 “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

The only way this Bible verse makes sense is if you know what a yoke is.  I have not worked with livestock, even though I have lived in Texas my entire life, so naturally I had to do a little research to figure out exactly what it is. 

Essentially, a yoke is a harness used by a pair of oxen to ease the work of hauling a load.  The wood is hand carved to fit over the neck and shoulders of both oxen so that it would prevent pain.  The oxen need to be about the same size so that the yoke sits comfortably on both animals.

Typically, the pair of oxen includes an older seasoned ox that has been well trained from years of routine and a new young ox that has potential but is inexperienced.  By sharing the same yoke with a veteran ox, the younger ox does not have to wonder what to do. Plus, the experienced one pulls harder and bears most of the load until the younger ox is trained up. 

How awesome is that?  In Matthew 11:29-30, Jesus is saying that he wants me to be harnessed to him.  He wants to take me under his wing and learn the ropes from him.  He is not a fierce and cruel teacher but gentle and humble in heart.  He is stronger and more experienced than I am so he will be pulling harder and bearing most of the load.

I don’t know what your burden is.  It might be an addiction to shopping, alcohol or sex.  It might be a spirit of lying and gossiping.  Or perhaps you have a desire for something that is not yours.  Whatever it is, if you harness yourself to Jesus, he will carry most of the load for you.  That is His promise to you. 

Jesus, thank you for bearing the load of the sins in my life. When I forget to give my worries to you, remind me that I can find rest in you. Amen.

How does God speak to you?

Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Have you ever heard someone say that they were talking to God and he gave them a word? What does that even mean? Did they hear an audible voice that said something like, “Hey Debra, I have a word for you today?” No, of course not. It would be nice if God lit a bush on fire like he did with Moses or spoke directly to you in a dream like he did with Joseph, but that is not usually how it works. 

It’s a good desire to want to hear God’s voice. But many times, we make it out to be a lot more mysterious and harder than it should be, because we look to the wrong places for God’s voice. It is actually very simple. The Bible is where God’s voice can be heard. So, if you want to listen to God’s voice, then you need to read God’s word.

I suggest that you set aside 30 minutes in the morning or evening and call it your quiet time. Protect this time. Add it to your calendar. Create a special space for your quiet time and let everyone in your household know that you have set aside this particular time of the day to seek the Lord. Then start off with a short devotional, a Bible reading and then prayer journaling. God’s Word will pop up to address your prayer concerns. Sometimes immediately, sometimes over time. But it’s those breakthrough moments that are the incredible miracles that cement our faith and cause us to crave more time with Him.  I read a quote online that said, “I was praying, talking to God and then I opened my Bible and God won’t stop talking to me!”

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me the Bible so that I can hear your voice.  Please help me to set up a quiet time so that I can hear from you every day.  Amen

Once a Task is Thus Begun

Ephesians 6:7 Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

My Grandpa Etzler had a rhyme he would share with me and my cousins when we were little.  He said it so often that we engraved it on a gold plaque for him to hang in his bedroom and we buried it with him when he passed away.  It said:

Once a task is thus begun

Never leave it ‘til it’s done.

Be the task great or small

Do it well or not at all.

My grandpa was trying to teach us a level of work ethic that you don’t always see in today’s society.  The concept is real simple.  If you start something, finish it.  It doesn’t matter if it is a big project at work or a small project at home.  Finishing the project will give you a sense of accomplishment and will show others that you are proud of your work.  But grandpa didn’t just say finish it either, he said do it well or not at all.  Take the time to do it RIGHT.  Crease the edges.  Dot the I’s.  Cross the T’s. 

In Ephesians 6:7, Paul is also encouraging responsibility and integrity on the job just like my grandpa was.  If Christ was your employer, would that change the way you do your job?  Can you be trusted to do your best even when your boss is not around?  As Christians, we should strive to be a reflection of Jesus in everything we do, whether that is working at your career in the business world, cleaning houses, raising your children or ringing up customers at a grocery store.  You should do your job with enthusiasm as if Christ was your supervisor. 

Are you an employer?  Do you have people reporting to you at your place of employment?  What if Christ was your employee?  Would that change the way you treated your employees?  Although you may be at different levels than your employees in this earthly society, God does not play favorites.  No one is more important than anyone else.  We are all brothers and sister in Christ.

Remember, no matter who you work for and no matter who works for you, the One you should ultimately want to please is your Father in heaven.  So, work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.  Finish what you start and do it as though Christ is watching, because He is. 

Dear Father in heaven, thank you for providing me with a job.  Help me to work with enthusiasm and to finish what I start.  I want to make you proud of me.  In your name I pray, Amen.