575-Using Faith and Wisdom in Times of Crisis#
(JP Text Group - shalom compilation)
Peace be with you, dear family, welcome to your arrival. Today is Sunday, and let us look at God's word together.
The topic of the sharing is: Using Faith and Wisdom in Times of Crisis.
Esther 4:15-17:
15 Then Esther instructed them to reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” 17 So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him.
Let us pray first.
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you for giving us the start of a new week, granting us faith and strength through your word. No matter what we encounter in life, we can learn to rely on you in everything like Esther. Because you have the solution, you are our way, our way out. Through today’s word, let us also learn faith and wisdom, receiving your word to live a new week. Thank you and praise you, in the name of our Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen.
The Book of Esther is the last book of the historical books in the Old Testament. Although it is not very long, the plot is very legendary, seeming to be at a dead end, only to suddenly turn around and find a way out. If we often find our faith fluctuating in life, lacking hope in God, I suggest reading the Book of Esther more. It can encourage people not to lose heart or despair when facing difficulties, always carrying hope.
The Book of Esther does not mention God's name from beginning to end. It seems strange that a book can be in the Bible without mentioning God's name. Nevertheless, between the lines, we can clearly see God working behind the scenes, accomplishing His plan. God’s actions have both obvious and hidden aspects. Isaiah says: God is a God who hides Himself. Although people cannot see Him, His works are always present, and His grace is continually supplied.
When Esther participated in the beauty pageant, Mordecai was very anxious, walking back and forth in front of the women’s quarters every day to gather news, but God did not give him any revelation. When the gatekeeper eunuch wanted to kill the king, Mordecai discovered it. Mordecai's reporting was rewarded, but the king forgot his merit, and God did not remind King Ahasuerus.
When Haman ordered the extermination of all the Jews in the kingdom, the chosen people faced a catastrophe. Mordecai wept and wailed, extremely anxious and at a loss, as if God was watching idly again. When Haman set up a gallows in his own home, intending to hang Mordecai on it, we only saw the wicked man's arrogance reach its peak, as if God remained silent, allowing them to act so recklessly.
But in reality, in the spiritual realm, we see that God was not idle but was working behind the scenes, carrying out His plan. God has His will and His timetable, so He achieves the most perfect results at the most appropriate time and place. It was God's good intention that Queen Vashti was deposed and Esther was chosen as queen, which could play a significant role at a critical moment.
Proverbs 21:1 says: The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.
Sometimes we do good deeds and are overlooked, feeling sad and wronged, but God does not forget. When Mordecai discovered someone wanted to assassinate the king and informed him, he was forgotten by the king. If he had not been forgotten and immediately rewarded, how could he later have the glory of being honored by Haman? Who made King Ahasuerus unable to sleep? Who made King Ahasuerus want to read the history books? Why did the eunuch open the history book and turn to the page where Mordecai saved the king?
These seem to be coincidences, but in reality, our God plays a decisive role in them. The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, so God can use all things to work for us. The best answer is in God's hands.
Once or twice coincidences can be considered accidental, but if every link in the chain cannot go wrong even a little, is it still a coincidence? It must be God helping us. Looking back at your life, is it not like this? Many times, if there had been a problem in one link, our lives might not exist anymore. If work is not going well and problems keep arising, through prayer, hand it over to God, believing that God will prepare the best position for you. If this company is not suitable, God will lead you to a new one. But what you need to do is pray about everything and believe in God, Amen; do not doubt just because you cannot see.
In the Book of Esther, we do not see God's name directly appearing, but we see His actions. Your life is the same; it is not about shouting “Lord Jesus! Lord Jesus!” every day, which does not mean God has entered your life, but rather you meditate on God's truth, allowing these truths to enter your life. In everything, rely on God's truth, and you will see God's works. If you encounter problems in service, act according to the truth; if others slander or exclude you, do not lose heart, tell God about it, and He will prepare the most suitable path for you. If this church is not suitable, God will lead you to the most appropriate position, Amen.
When Stephen was martyred for the Lord, he was stoned to death and seemed isolated and helpless, but God allowed him to see what others could not; he saw heaven opened, and the Lord Jesus standing to welcome His faithful servant home in glory.
When Job was tormented in suffering, his three friends condemned him based on worldly retribution theories, trying to prove that what happened to Job was due to his own fault or his family's fault, etc. Who knew that God was listening to their debate in silence? In the end, God vindicated His servant and blessed him double, proving his innocence before God, allowing Job to see God through this experience.
When Joseph was sold into Egypt, his fear of God became the reason for his false accusation. He kept himself pure but found himself imprisoned, unable to defend himself; he helped others but was forgotten, losing hope of being released for about thirteen years. Since being betrayed by his own brothers, falsely accused, and forgotten, he rolled on the edge of death, and the situation seemed to worsen. In hopelessness, God's time came, and he rose to the position of prime minister. Looking back, although the road was tortuous, God's guidance was marvelous. This was the highlight of his life, and these years of experience were the shortest path to his highest position.
How many fifteen years have we wasted in our lives? Yet many people have wasted time and still achieved nothing. But Joseph was different; although he suffered some hardships over the years, he relied on God in everything and held onto the truth. God did not let him suffer in vain; every step had God's beautiful will and lessons for him to learn. When God's time came, He placed him in the best position, one that no one could shake, thank the Lord.
So through these events, we must understand that although sometimes we cannot see God in life, it does not mean He is not there. Unless you see God with you in the spiritual realm, His truth with you, and the Holy Spirit with you. When you see these, in times of crisis, use faith and wisdom to witness God's power.
Genesis 45:5-8:
5 Now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves for selling me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
After enduring suffering, Joseph looked back at his life and found that this was God's best blessing. These life experiences made him mature and wise, and he learned to rely on God in everything, believing in God's good will. Therefore, he could comfort his brothers, saying, “Do not blame yourselves anymore; it seems you sold me, but in reality, God sent me here to preserve our family's lives and to bring great deliverance.” This was God's good intention, and Joseph understood it.
Through these events, we absolutely believe that from then on, Joseph would surely be grateful in everything; no matter what he encountered, he would not complain or be anxious, for he believed that God would surely accomplish the best results at the right time in his life.
Why do some people become very anxious after praying, hoping that things will be accomplished immediately? Because their eyes cannot see God, they think He has not heard, “If you heard, why not accomplish it immediately?” They are anxious in their hearts. But through these events, we must know that in times of crisis, we must believe in God. You have told our Lord, He has heard, and He does not sleep; how could He not hear? His ears are not deaf, so He has heard your cry. What we need to do is wait, be patient, and expect good results.
God is often hidden, but that does not mean He is doing nothing; He is the God who works great wonders in secret, bringing His grace unexpectedly, even in despair, suddenly bringing salvation, causing joy beyond expectation. Now, let’s look at the emergence of the crisis.
Esther 3:1-6:
1 After these things, King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes who were with him. 2 And all the king's servants who were within the king's gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai would not bow or pay homage. 3 Then the king's servants who were within the king's gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress the king's command?”
4 Now it happened, when they spoke to him daily and he would not listen to them, that they told it to Haman, to see whether Mordecai's words would stand, for Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew. 5 When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow or pay homage, Haman was filled with wrath. 6 But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, the people of Mordecai.
After Esther became queen, Haman was later promoted by the king, as his position surpassed that of others, which made Haman a bit arrogant. So when Haman went out, everyone had to bow to him because it was the king's grace. But Mordecai, upon seeing Haman, did not bow or pay homage, which greatly angered Haman. He was filled with wrath, feeling that everything was meaningless. He focused all his attention on Mordecai alone. Although some tried to persuade Mordecai, he still refused to bow. This time Haman thought: it is too trivial to just harm Mordecai alone; I want to exterminate all the Jews in the kingdom, Mordecai's people.
From the history of Israel, we can see that from the Israelites' exodus from Egypt until now, many empires have sought to destroy Israel. Many people have this idea, and those who have this idea are not ordinary people; they are from larger empires. The fact is, many empires no longer exist today, such as Assyria, Babylon, Greece, etc. These powerful empires once sought to annihilate the Jews. But they overlooked one thing: although the Jews seem weak, their background is incredibly strong; the God they believe in is the God who created heaven and earth.
When the Israelites made mistakes, God could discipline them, allowing others on earth to strike them to teach them a lesson, but He would never allow people to exterminate them. At this time, Haman, in a high position, had this idea to annihilate the entire Jewish race. What was the cause of this? It was simply because Mordecai did not bow or pay homage to Haman. Some criticized Mordecai for not obeying the king's command, saying, “If you bowed to Haman, there would be no such trouble; why be so stubborn and unwise?”
Some commented on Esther, thinking that she was chosen as queen out of vanity, forgetting the suffering of her people, and even Mordecai had some criticisms of her. In fact, these are just one side of what people see. Why did Mordecai not bow to Haman, not even listening to the king's command? Why did Haman decide to exterminate the entire Jewish race? Is it just because of one person? There are reasons behind it. Haman was an Agagite, a descendant of the Amalekites. When we read the Old Testament, we can know that the Amalekites and the Jews are sworn enemies.
Exodus 17:14-16:
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” 15 And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner; 16 for he said, “Because the Lord has sworn: the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”
On the way out of Egypt, they had conflicts with the Amalekites. Aaron and Hur held up Moses' hands in prayer, and they won that battle. Later, the name of Amalek was blotted out. But it does not mean that all the Amalekites died; their descendants still exist, but the name was lost from then on. From that time on, the Jews and the Amalekites became sworn enemies, and this conflict was irreconcilable.
Now that they knew Mordecai was a Jew, it was natural for them to be particularly hostile. Mordecai was unwilling to bow to his enemy for a reason. Mordecai did not care about his own life, but he did not expect that Haman not only wanted his life but also wanted to annihilate his entire nation, which was something Mordecai did not foresee. At this point, he could only place all his hopes on Esther.
How should we handle similar situations? Mordecai's loyalty to God and love for his people, as well as his integrity, are worth learning from. However, his story also reminds us: we must be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Being wise as serpents reminds us to be flexible and clever in our actions, not to charge ahead blindly, as that would lead to loss. Although serpents are cunning, God does not want us to be deceitful; rather, we should learn from the serpent's cleverness.
What is a serpent's characteristic? When it encounters an enemy, for example, when it meets prey, it quickly assesses that it cannot defeat the prey and will disappear at the fastest speed, never lingering for a second. If you cannot win, then run; this is what we need to learn. But you cannot be cunning like a serpent to deceive others; that is not what we should learn; we should learn its cleverness.
Being harmless as doves. Doves are faithful animals. During Noah's Ark, the raven was sent out and did not return, having found a corpse; but the dove returned after being sent out again, bringing back the plucked olive branch, telling the master: it is time to go out. This is the harmlessness of the dove. We should learn from the cleverness of the serpent and the harmlessness of the dove.
Matthew 5:38-41:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.”
These words should not be understood at face value. We need to understand what the Lord Jesus is trying to express in this passage. This is a contrast: “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’” This is from the world, a law that the Israelites were to follow.
If someone injures your eye, you return the favor; if someone knocks out your tooth, you knock out theirs. This was the way during the law period. Is this a good way? It is immediate and leads to mutual harm.
“But I tell you.” When Jesus came, He provided us with a better solution. We cannot say that the previous laws were bad, for there is evil in people's hearts, and such mutual harm will only escalate. This is not a complete solution to the problem.
If today you injure someone’s eye, and tomorrow they injure yours, will hatred disappear when you meet again? No, hatred will only increase. Jesus’ method is better. In facing such situations, Jesus tells us: do not resist an evil person. Therefore, verses 40-41 are examples to tell us not to resist an evil person.
“If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.” It does not mean that if someone slaps your right cheek, you say, “Come on, my left cheek hasn’t been slapped yet, go ahead and slap it.” That is not the meaning; that is asking for trouble. What Jesus wants to say here is: do not resist an evil person. When he slaps your right cheek, at least believe in your heart: I still have a left cheek. It means we still have space, not to confront him.
“If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.” If someone wants to sue you for your tunic, do you need to take off your cloak first? You give him your cloak too. What does this indicate? You still have space, still have room to maneuver; you are not pushed to a dead end. You give him your cloak, and that is fine.
“If anyone compels you to go one mile, go with him two.” That must be an evil person; he is compelling you to go one mile, right? You have great space and greater strength, so you go with him two miles. You have overcome the evil person, which is a complete victory from the heart. We see in the world, if someone insults you, you feel there is no space left, no way out, and you insult back. Two people exchange insults, and in the end, they fight and harm each other.
But if someone insults you and you have space in your heart, a great space, and strength from God, you do not care what he says, then you naturally will not confront him, and the conflict will disappear. So Jesus wants to tell us: “Do not resist an evil person.”
If we place Mordecai's situation in today’s context, there would actually be a better way to handle it, which is simply not to confront him, and then we would not have to go through those subsequent events. Why must you confront others? You know he is an evil person, and you know he will retaliate; why must you insist on arguing with him? Just rely on God, Amen.
Ecclesiastes 7:15-16:
15 I have seen everything in my days of vanity: there is a just man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in wickedness. 16 Do not be overly righteous, nor be overly wise; why should you destroy yourself?
Ecclesiastes is the wisdom left to us by Solomon, and we should read, meditate on, and apply these words carefully, as they are of great help in our dealings in the world.
First, look at this passage: there is a just man who perishes in his righteousness. It is a strange thing that a righteous person does righteousness and ends up dying; a wicked person does wickedness and lives long. Isn’t this the true state of the world?
Jesus Christ did righteousness and was killed by the Jews of that time; many Christians preached the truth and were killed by people then. The righteous perish in their righteousness. What remains are the wicked. The wicked live well. This is what Solomon saw during his days of vanity; he witnessed too many such things.
So verse 16 gives us wisdom: do not be overly righteous.
Is there such a thing as being overly righteous? This is interesting. When can we know this limit? This requires wisdom. Being overly righteous means you must hold onto your truth without leaving any room for others, which is being overly righteous. For example, when we talk about the truth of Jesus Christ, He is like light; this light shines into the darkness, revealing all the filth and dirt within the darkness. But conversely, if you expose these things and go around proclaiming them, who wouldn’t want to kill you? This is being overly righteous. We can see others’ problems, even their corruption, but we do not go around proclaiming it; instead, we pray for them in our hearts, which is acting with moderation.
Do not be overly wise. In dealing with worldly matters, do not think that you are doing righteousness or holding onto truth, believing that you can handle everything and solve all problems. Do not be so self-sufficient.
Being self-sufficient means thinking you can handle everything; such people are actually proud and arrogant. Generally speaking, those who think they can do everything are not far from falling and failing. A person who often boasts that they can do anything will soon face downfall.
Therefore, in this regard, we should also have wisdom. Before God, do not say we can do everything; God uses us, and only then can we do this or that. Why must we be self-sufficient and think we can do more than others? Isn’t that self-destructive? There is a saying: “Man proposes, but God disposes.” This means that although people can make plans and arrangements, the success or failure is ultimately not decided by man but by heaven, which refers to our Lord Jesus Christ.
If God does not bless it, the matter cannot be accomplished, no matter how people plan or strategize; the result will still be failure. When we understand God's will, we should make plans, set goals, and arrange methods, praying to God with each step, so that we do not end in failure.
Unbelievers in the world are actually very pitiful; they may walk ninety-nine steps correctly in their lives, but because of one misstep, everything before them may turn to nothing. As God's children, if we seek God with every step we take, then every step will be firm, and God will lead us forward, ensuring we do not fail.
The Lord Jesus is like this; everything He said and did was according to the Father’s will, so you see that everything Jesus did reached a perfect state. This is what we need to learn to do while living on earth.
Some say, “As long as we have faith and entrust everything to the Lord, He will accomplish it; people do not need to make any effort or plans.” There are indeed people who speak such nonsense, “Just hand everything over to the Lord, and we do not need to do anything; just rest and wait.” In fact, those who believe this way generally do not have a good life; this completely ignores human thought.
God does not disregard our free will; He allows us to have our own ideas. If we are willing to follow God's will, there will surely be a good outcome, which is wisdom. But if a person is unwilling to act according to God's will and insists on going their own way, they will also face an outcome. When they fail, they will return to God, relying on Him, and God will still be willing to help them. This person has free will.
But we cannot say that when we encounter something, we just pray and do not need to do anything else; this approach generally makes it difficult to see good outcomes. Because when God reveals His will to us, He certainly wants us to do something. However, many people's faith is: we pray for God to do things, and we do not want to move at all. This is not right.
Luke 14:28-32:
28 “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it? 29 Lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 30 ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.”
This passage is about the Lord Jesus teaching His disciples. Becoming a disciple of Jesus also requires wisdom; one cannot rush forward without strategy, as that will not work. Here, Jesus makes it very clear: when you want to do something, you must plan first to see if it can succeed.
If you want to build a tower, you do not calculate how much it will cost; you just say, “Let’s just start building something.” How can you do things like that? After laying the foundation, you find you do not have enough materials; you have to go buy more. Shouldn’t you calculate everything first, plan how many people you need, how much material, how long it will take, and only after everything is calculated should you proceed?
So we also need this kind of wisdom in our service, and this is something people need to calculate; you wouldn’t let God do the calculations, right? Thank the Lord. Therefore, as disciples of Jesus, we need not only faith but also wisdom. Thank the Lord.
A couple of days ago, something happened on the subway. An elderly lady loudly preached about Jesus Christ, that is, sharing the gospel, which led to countless people denouncing her; everyone opposed her, using various knowledge to refute her, and some even mocked her. In fact, this elderly lady had good intentions; she wanted to share the gospel but lacked wisdom. When she did this, she did not consider how others would feel; she acted solely on faith, disregarding everything else. As a result, everyone saw that it was not ideal, and she felt quite hurt.
The current era is different from that of John the Baptist; you cannot just take a loudspeaker and shout, “The kingdom of heaven is near! You must repent!” The crowd you face is different, and you cannot apply the same rigid approach. We need to seek wisdom from God, doing such things with faith and wisdom, Amen. Therefore, the methods and approaches need to change, but the core content of the gospel remains unchanged. Thus, we must use the intelligence and wisdom God has given us, open our eyes, listen with our ears, meditate with our hearts, and then entrust everything to God to accomplish according to His will.
From the Book of Esther, we see that Mordecai was also alert in some matters. When he sensed the crisis facing his people, he instructed Esther to participate in the queen selection, but he did not know the outcome. Esther was not anxious at all; she placed everything in prayer, entrusting it all to the Lord, allowing God to accomplish His will. Later, she was finally seen by the king and became queen.
When she heard that Mordecai was wearing sackcloth, she knew that great calamity was approaching. Although Esther was also very sad and knew this matter was too great, she remained calm and composed, not anxious or impulsive. When Mordecai asked her to approach the king, her situation was actually not safe at all; one wrong move could lead to everything being lost. In the most critical moment, she was able to remain calm.
You see, when Haman wanted to kill the entire Jewish race, they could only place all their hopes on Esther. But Esther was just a queen; she could not interfere in state affairs. Moreover, the king had not summoned her, and she had no opportunity to speak to him. If she rashly appeared before the king, she would die. In such a situation, with life and death at stake, it was very difficult for Esther to make a decision, not knowing what to do.
So when she did not know what to do, and the problem had to be solved, she made a very important decision: she instructed all the Jews in Shushan to fast for three days and three nights before God, including herself. Esther knew that everything was in God's hands, so she fasted for these three days to seek clear guidance from God on how to save her people.
Esther 4:15-17:
15 Then Esther instructed them to reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” 17 So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him.
For three days and three nights, Esther carefully considered how to approach the king and how to plead with him, ensuring that not a single step could go wrong. This is the wisdom God would give her during these three days on how to act, thank the Lord. So, dear family, if you encounter urgent and difficult matters and do not know what to do next, learn from Esther. She prayed about every step she should take and every word she should say, as saying one wrong word could lead to disaster.
Her act of approaching the king was not only risking her life but also carrying the responsibility for the survival of her people; the stakes were too high! For Esther, as a mere woman, it was not easy to handle this life-changing situation. But at this moment, she had already set aside her own life and death, placing all her hopes in God.
Matthew 16:24-25:
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”
Following Jesus and becoming His disciple comes at a cost. Take Esther's situation as an example; if you want to save the Jews, can you risk your own life? This is uncertain. If she violates the law to approach the king and he becomes angry and orders her to be killed, her life would be lost; if she does not go, perhaps her life could still be preserved. So at this moment, Esther needed to make a correct choice about how to act.
Isn’t it similar to how we follow the Lord Jesus? Just as Jesus said to His disciples during His ministry: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
Because during that time, believing in Jesus carried the risk of losing one’s life, especially after Jesus died; to dare to say you believe in Jesus was extremely risky. At that time, could you forsake your life and hold onto your faith? Indeed, many chose not to believe because it not only involved their own lives but could also endanger their family members. The Romans were very rampant in their persecution of those who believed in Jesus, and Jesus had warned them in advance, saying, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.”
Of course, how do we understand this statement now? After Jesus went to the cross, the cross became a means of salvation; but at that time, mentioning the cross was a curse, a matter of life and death.
However, Jesus continued, “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it.” This statement is interesting; He is saying that if you want to preserve your life and try to save it in your own way, you will surely lose it. In other words, if you choose not to believe in Jesus, you may indeed survive in this world, but you will lose true life and eternal life.
“And whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” This statement has two meanings. The first is that if during that time you still want to believe in Jesus, you may lose your earthly life, but you will gain the life of the kingdom, eternal life.
The other meaning is that when you truly do not care about your life or death, you will not lose your earthly life but will receive double blessings, both earthly and heavenly.
Those who serve must not hold onto themselves; if they give everything to the Lord Jesus for His use, their lives will have a completely different and beautiful journey. David was like this, and so was Paul. Paul did not cherish his life; he often faced life-and-death situations while preaching the gospel, but he did not care for himself. Instead, God rescued him multiple times, granting him double blessings, both on earth and in heaven.
We are ordinary people; without Jesus, we might be born into this world, die, and then be forgotten. But if ordinary people entrust their lives to the Lord Jesus, they can live out extraordinary significance.
Esther did not act out of righteousness; if she had approached the king crying and weeping, it might have aroused the king's aversion, leading to a counterproductive outcome. She did not take advantage of her favor to bully others, directly accusing Haman of plotting to exterminate the Jews. Although this matter was indeed Haman's doing, it was also the king's consent; strictly speaking, it was the king's intention. To rebuke Haman would directly accuse the king. Therefore, Esther was very meticulous in handling this matter. Her plan was layered, like peeling an onion, going deeper with each layer.
At first, she calmly invited the king and Haman to a banquet, and when the king promised her, she said, “I have a request; please come again tomorrow for a banquet.” Only then did she express her true intention. During this time, the king promised Esther for the third time, “What is your request? Tell me, even to half my kingdom I will give it to you.” Let us see how Esther perfectly expressed the art of language.
Esther 7:3-4:
3 Then Queen Esther answered and said, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request. 4 For we have been sold, my people and I, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. If we had been sold as male and female slaves, I would have held my tongue, although the enemy could never compensate for the king's loss.”
At that time, the Persian Empire governed one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, reaching as far east as India, with many ethnic groups within the country. What the nation needed was mutual respect and peaceful coexistence among the various ethnic groups. Once ethnic hatred is stirred up, leading to mutual slaughter, the harm to the entire nation would be unimaginable. This is not only a foolish act but would also shake the foundation of the nation.
Esther's performance was neither servile nor flattering but was just right, hitting the nail on the head. She said, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king.” She first praised the king, saying: actually, you have already given me enough grace, and if you are willing to give me more grace, I will express my thoughts.
“I wish for my life to be given to me.” Through these words, we see that Esther did not intend to blame the king; she was saying: today my life and death are in your hands; I have been sold, and my people have been sold, and we are about to be exterminated. If I were sold as a slave, it would not matter, but now my identity is queen; what face does the king have? Wouldn’t the enemy laugh at you? That is essentially what she meant.
She completely revealed Haman's selfishness, pointing out that he disregarded national security for personal vengeance. King Ahasuerus was greatly enraged and ultimately executed Haman. This is the perfect combination of faith and wisdom, specifically applied. In this regard, everyone must learn from Esther the art of language.
Do you know how arguments between couples arise? Everyone wants to be the stronger one, wanting to suppress the other, using words to provoke the other, insisting on being heard. If Esther had spoken to the king in this way, she would have died first. Have you noticed that Esther's gentle approach contained powerful energy? In the end, the king realized: Esther was thinking of me, so I must grant her request. Thank the Lord. Therefore, if people can learn this, it is the true manifestation of wisdom, and you will have no enemies.
Romans 8:26-28:
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
This passage actually gives us faith and wisdom. First, where does our faith come from? It is that when we are weak, the Holy Spirit helps us, so we are not afraid, and we do not fear the future because the Holy Spirit helps us.
Since the Holy Spirit helps us, what should we do when we encounter problems? We should pray to Him, pray to God. If you do not know how to pray, what should you do? Pray in tongues; the Holy Spirit prays with you. So here it mentions that the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. It means He prays with us. You do not know how to pray to God, but the Holy Spirit knows, so you can express what is in your heart to the Lord in tongues.
He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is. This means that when you pray in tongues, God will place His thoughts within you, and you will understand His will. This is a relationship; praying in tongues more will help you know the words God tells you.
The Holy Spirit makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. If we understand God's will, we will know how to act, and the matter will be resolved, right? Thank the Lord; this is the source of our faith, coming from God.
Verse 28 is the part of our wisdom to see: we know that all things work together for good.
What does it mean that all things work together for good? You do not know what the final outcome of this matter will be, but you believe the outcome is good because God can turn bad things into good, can turn curses into blessings; this is God's power. When you currently see bad things, do not be discouraged; just pray to the Lord. If the bad things still exist after praying, we continue to pray, expecting the arrival of good things, Amen.
Just like Esther, after going through this matter, she truly turned misfortune into fortune. Not only did she exterminate her enemies, but the entire Jewish race also looked at her with new eyes, and all the Jewish people were blessed through misfortune. Therefore, they later had the Feast of Purim, commemorating their blessing through misfortune; otherwise, their entire nation would have been lost. But who do they remember? Every time the Feast of Purim comes, they remember Esther. Because of this matter, did Esther not become a hero in everyone's hearts?
But if she had only cared about her own life and death, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Because if Haman's plot had succeeded, Esther would certainly have died. This is what it means that all things work together for good. When Esther disregarded her own life and death to complete this work of redemption, she prayed to God, and God gave her wisdom, telling her how to act, ultimately turning this terrible situation into a good one. This is what it means that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
When bad things happen, when unpleasant things arise, when we face fearful situations, we must pray to God, seeking His will; you will ultimately benefit. We cannot be like some people who only use faith, saying, “This bad thing is bad, but I thank God for allowing this bad thing to happen to me, and then I expect good things.” Doing nothing and not seeking God's will will only lead to worsening bad situations. It is not like that. When things happen, on one hand, we need faith; on the other hand, we need to seek wisdom from God, asking how we should act.
How to act specifically? You should meditate on how Esther prayed to God during those three days when she faced such problems, considering each step: “How should I communicate with the king? What should I do?” If you carefully read the Book of Esther, you might gain wisdom. Thank the Lord. May today's sharing bring some help to everyone.
Let us pray together.
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you for giving us such words, allowing us to use faith and wisdom in times of crisis. In times of crisis, when we see your guidance and wisdom, we will know how to act. We are willing to know you more, experience you, and through your faith and wisdom in our lives, we will be more willing to draw near to you. Help us to rely on your truth to live victorious lives.
A new week has begun, and I believe this week will still be a week of blessings from you. I am willing to see your great power in everything. Please help me to experience and know you with faith and wisdom in my life, and to become a beautiful testimony of you. In the name of our Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen.