October 4th, 20

SPEAK UP!

Today’s readings are Esther 3 – 8 and Luke 18.  We are reading from the New Living Translation.

 at those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those that humble themselves will be exalted.  He gives us some examples of what it is to humble oneself, as well as examples of those who exalt themselves.  

These principles are illustrated for us in Esther.  Haaman wanted to exalt himself and in the end he was humbled.  In both readings today we learn that there is a way to exalt ourselves that God is actually delighted in. When we speak up for ourselves as a sinner, (that’s what I mean when I say ‘when we exalt ourselves’), God is delighted.  Sinners speaking up for themselves, recognizing their desperate need for God’s mercy – God is delighted in this way of exalting the self.  

God, have mercy on me.  You’re my only hope and deliverance, here

God is delighted to recognize and honor and answer that kind of prayer, where we stand before him and recognize that we are sinners, apart from him.

– like the tax collector who couldn’t lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead he just recognized:  God, I’m a sinner.  Have mercy on me.  

– like the blind man who knew that his life was terribly broken and he wanted so much to be healed.  He cried out, Son of David, have mercy on me!

– like Esther who went before the king, defying the law, at threat of her own life

She comes into the king’s presence because she’s in need of mercy, not only for herself, but for her people.

This is the way to exalt ourselves that God is ok with!  Throughout the Bible, there is never a time when God does not respond to this kind of prayer of desperate broken people, pleading for God’s mercy and deliverance.  God invites us, in fact, to cry out to him, to behold and see the deliverance and salvation that He alone can bring.

Are you in need of God’s mercy and deliverance today, for you or for those that you love?  God has spoken to you through the words of Blind Bartimaeus , through Esther, through the example of a wretched tax collector who is begging for mercy.  God is speaking to us through his Word.   He’s telling us that he delights when we, his people, see that God alone is our Salvation, Deliverer, and Hope.  When we call on him, he delights in stopping, like he did with Blind Bartimaeus, saying “Call him”.  

Do you need his mercy?  Call on him.

Do you need his deliverance?  Call on him.

He delights when we speak up for ourselves this way.  He delights in asking us, “What do you want me to do for you?”  (Lk 18:41 NLT)

You are loved!