Thursday May 7, 2020

Esther 3:7-11

7 In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the pur (that is, the lot) was cast in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.

8 Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them. 9 If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents of silver to the king’s administrators for the royal treasury.”

10 So the king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11 “Keep the money,” the king said to Haman, “and do with the people as you please.

Some things just don’t make sense. Reality is absurd sometimes and this is one of those times. The lot falls on the eve of Passover. The day Haman determines to convince Xerxes to let him commit genocide is the day before the Jews gather to celebrate and remember when God passed over their homes saving their children from the plague of the firstborn and liberated them from slavery in Egypt. Will the day before liberation become a day of slaughter instead? Will history be rewritten erasing the Exodus? These are the stakes. Haman’s lie isn’t questioned. His bribe isn’t received. Xerxes gives Haman full legislative authority to carry out his demonic plan.

To say life isn’t fair, in light of this passage, is a gross understatement. Yet, scripture tells it like it is. Some things just don’t make sense like the burning desire for genocide. Parents burying their children. Cycles of addiction and domestic abuse. Human trafficking. And the list goes on and on and on. For as dark as the world can seem at times, life is even more unfair in the other direction. Murderers can find forgiveness. Thieves can enter paradise. Bandits can be born again. The blind will see. The deaf will hear. The dead will live again. All have sinned and yet all have the opportunity to accept Christ’s atoning sacrifice and be redeemed. Some things just don’t make sense. Praise God!

Heavenly Father, though sorrow and trouble come our way, though we endure the sting of failure and defeat, though we spend years waiting for a breakthrough, it is only a night. Joy comes in the morning. Your light breaks through the darkness and we are made new. Thank you Jesus. Your love never fails. Help us to love each other as you have loved us. May the works of our hands make mercy and justice and words of our mouths speak grace and truth. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory before all ages, now, and forevermore. Amen