Esther Relived

Vicki Confer responds to Karen’s devotional from yesterday. I love her honesty and transparency. I’m sure you will be blessed by her words. 

So greatful for the message yesterday morning. Thank you Karen.

I've been a Christian for 44 years and every one of them have been a struggle.  I might be the most incompetent person I know, but God has been faithful to me from the very beginning. I am completely dependent on him, not because I'm spiritually mature but because I'm so desperate without his intervention. 

Satan is always offering me a better deal, I think there is alittle Eve in every woman.. but I know he is pretty desperate himself to be coming after someone as inconsequential as me. I hadn't read the book of Esther for some time but spent the morning reading it and looking into this relatable character,  with a practical message for every believer. 

The name Esther is  Persian, her Hebrew name, "Hadassah" translates to "myrtle tree", associated with joy peace and devine blessing for the Jewish people. When there was no insincere it's branches could be crushed for their lovely fragrance and burned instead. Like many herbs and flowers that are beautiful to look at their true essence comes from crushing the leaves.

When God's people are put under drvine pressure. We are crushed. 

We all have spiritual dross in our lives—unhealthy and unwelcome practices and ideas that need to be removed. Believers in this world undergo a refining process that purifies our bodies and spirits (2 Corinthians 7:1) and proves the authenticity of our faith: “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” 1 Peter 1:6–7. 

Make it a Transforming Tuesday! God is good…