The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 12 March 2021 – Wise Reaction
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TOPIC: Wise Reaction (Anglican Devotional 12 March 2021)
READ: Esther 4:1-9 (NKJV)
- When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry.
- He went as far as the front of the king’s gate, for no one [might] enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth.
- And in every province where the king’s command and decree arrived, [there was] great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
- So Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept [them.]
- Then Esther called Hathach, [one] of the king’s eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend her, and she gave him a command concerning Mordecai, to learn what and why this [was.]
- So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square that [was] in front of the king’s gate.
- And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries to destroy the Jews.
- He also gave him a copy of the written decree for their destruction, which was given at Shushan, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her, and that he might command her to go in to the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people.
- So Hathach returned and told Esther the words of Mordecai.
THE MESSAGE:
The death sentence we studied yesterday did not go down well with the Jews. Mordecai took the lead in reacting against the king’s decree. First, they showed their unhappiness by tearing their clothes and putting on sackcloth with ashes. They made their unhappiness public and specific by going to the king’s gate to register their protest. They also published their protest in all the provinces wherein the King’s decree was published. Theirs was not a written publication but a peaceful protest with a loud and bitter cry. This culminated into a fasting and prayer by all Jews. Mordecai rejected whatever royal package from Esther to make him mask his feeling and keep quiet. What a wise reaction!
In the face of what seems like a death sentence, Christians in our nation today are to react wisely. It is unfortunate that some Christians, even Church leaders, are silent about this. The Church has to raise her voice against such injustice, even up to the presidency. We must reject whatever package intended to silence us. Let us commit ourselves to praying and fasting rather than being nonchalant. As individuals, we must ask: What is my reaction to this? What have I done with regard to the death sentence on the Church today?
PRAYER: O God, please save Your Church in our country today!.
