Don't Get Hung Up
More drama in the book of Esther!
Who'd have thought?
As a refresher, Haman is the guy who thinks he is the bee's knees of the kingdom. He is also the man who hates Mordecai, Esther's uncle, for Mordecai's refusal to bow before him.
Haman is so badly eaten up by Mordecai's refusal to worship him that he builds gallows upon which he plans to hang Mordecai.
It's bad.
One night King Ahasuerus can't sleep, so he has one of his male attendants read to him from a book that contains memorable deeds.
One memorable deed read to the king happened to be about how Mordecai foiled the plan of the king's eunuchs to lay hands upon the king and kill him.
After recounting the story, the king was curious what honor had been bestowed upon Mordecai to recognize his good deed. As it turns out, no recognition had been paid to him, and the king wanted this remedied immediately.
Meanwhile, Haman had been making his way to the kingdom's court so he could approach the king and request Mordecai be hung on the gallows he built.
Is this not precisely how our God loves to intervene?!?!
Haman is coming to ask permission to kill Mordecai at the exact moment that the king is figuring out how to honor Mordecai!
I. Love. This.
Haman enters the king's chamber, and before he can make his request known, the king asks Haman what he thinks should be done for a man the king wishes to honor.
This gets Haman all excited because, well, he thinks everything is about him. Haman then goes into this elaborate description of what he would love to have done for himself as an honor from the king.
Then, it hits!
Esther 6:10 ESV - Then the king said to Haman, "Hurry; take the robes and the horse, as you have said, and do so to Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king's gate. Leave out nothing that you have mentioned."
Literally, all I have written in my Bible is "Boom!"
You know those moments in life when someone nails the perfect line on someone else, and there is no denying they just won at life?
You know what I mean, right?
Those situations where you have no control over your body, and your finger juts in the direction of the losing participant, while your other hand so gangster-ly covers the obnoxiously long, "Oh" that bellows from your innermost being.
Then there is a bit of uncontrolled laughter because of the sheer joy associated with seeing such instantaneous justice take place in front of your very eyes.
That happened.
Yes, this is what my Bible reading looks like from time to time.
It can be very interactive.
I'm almost done with the story, and then I'll get to the point – promise.
Haman is mortified after having to perform this deed for Mordecai. He goes home pouting and shares with his wife, and all his friends, the details of the tragic event.
They comfort him right away.
Just kidding! (Insert gotcha-face and wiggly victory dance)
Esther 6:13 ESV - And Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and his wife Zeresh said to him, "If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of the Jewish people, you will not overcome him but will surely fall before him."
Truth is truth.
The status of an individual in a society doesn't matter. When they are placed toe-to-toe with a child of God, they will fall before us – to His glory!
The wonderful thing is it's not by our hand or our might. Mordecai didn't have to convince the king to honor him nor beg for his life from Haman.
God had the battle plan sorted out to the favor of Mordecai before the battle even started.
Can I encourage you to walk in the humbleness of Mordecai while also choosing to stand firm in the confidence of your protection through the blood of Jesus?
You are a child of God!
What can stand against you?
Don’t get too hung up on the battle.
It’s been won!
