Let All The Upright In Heart Exult
BRD REFLECTIONS
(Cecilia Chow, Companions in Christ Facilitator, Discipleship & Nurture)
READ:
OBSERVE:
King Ahasuerus promoted Haman to become like a second in command, and all the people bowed down and paid homage to Haman. But Mordecai did not.
That infuriated Haman, who disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, but took it further – to destroy all the people of Mordecai – the Jews! With the king’s authority, Haman gave the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all Jews.
Psalm 64 is a desperate cry, a plea, to God for protection.
Reading Psalm 64 with Esther 3, the cries appear to echo the very voices of the Jews who had learnt of Haman’s plot to exterminate them.
Although “The inward mind and heart of a man are deep” (Ps 64:6, ESV), God sees and knows the heart of every man and He will protect the righteous.
Without God’s protection, the wicked will get themselves ruined (Ps 64:8) by their own evil.
Whether a victim or a perpetrator, when God acts, all men will fear and can only ponder God’s actions.
God is in charge. Justice is of the Lord. God’s protection is towards the righteous. God is a just God.
APPLY:
As I read about Mordecai’s firm stance of not bowing down to Haman and the societal pressures he faced, I asked myself, “To what degree would I stand up for my faith? What made Mordecai have that courage to do what he did? Even if there was fear in him… what was the kind of faith and assurance he had in God?”
I realised how I see who God is, affects my response to any situation.
I acknowledge and see that God will exult over the righteous.
If I had been a victim, judgement is of the Lord. If I am presently a victim, I need not fear because God is a just God. Romans 12:19 (NLT) states, “Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, ‘I will take revenge; I will pay them back,’ says the Lord”.
Simultaneously, I need to be mindful of my actions not to be a perpetrator myself, because I will not be spared from God’s justice!
DO:
1. Ask myself, constantly, every time, where I see God in my life.
2. Be still to experience God’s presence.
3. When faced with injustice, let my heart trust and rest in God.
PRAY:
Dear God, when I tend to become (overly) self-reliant, help me to seek you and open up my senses to feel your presence. Strengthen my identity in you, so I may be courageous and fear less, knowing my hope is in you and any vengeance is yours.
May I trust in you to be able to rest in your sovereignty. May I rejoice and take refuge in You as You’ve taught, “Let the righteous one rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in Him! Let all the upright in heart exult!” In Jesus’ name, Amen.
