以斯帖——阻止罪恶发生
“为什么是我呢？”当有人请你做一件事，或者当悲惨的事发生在你身上时，你是否问过这个问题呢？
当以斯帖的表兄末底改建议她借用自己的位分阻止屠杀本族人民时，以斯帖可能会问过这个问题。但末底改劝说她，在犹太人中除了她没有谁和王有这样的关系。所以或许这就是神使她成为王后的原因——在这个位分上，阻止这等可怕的罪恶发生，拯救她的同胞。
以斯帖知道自己该怎么做。她请求所有的犹大人禁食三天三夜，这包括热切祈求神的拯救。所以，当以斯帖走进王的宫殿时，包裹她的不仅是美丽的朝服，还有神百姓的祷告。在那个房间里的不只是王，神也在那里。
我们必须牢记，在我们的世界中，神也一直和我们同在，祂在我们前面为我们预备地方、机会、选择和各种可能。我们有一位关心我们的神。我们可以欢欣，任何事的发生都不是偶然，甚至生活中悲伤和造成损害的事仍在神的掌管之下。
赞美神！每早晨我们醒来时，都可以肯定神是信实的，祂会带我们度过每一天。赞美神！耶稣已经来到，阻止了罪恶的发生，拯救了祂的百姓。
主啊，当我们受伤和害怕时，求祢帮助我们记得，祢必定保守和看顾我们。愿我们今天安息在祢的爱里。奉耶稣的名祷告，阿们。
以斯帖记 4
1末底改知道所做的这一切事，就撕裂衣服，穿麻衣，蒙灰尘，在城中行走，痛哭哀号。
2到了朝门前停住脚步，因为穿麻衣的不可进朝门。
3王的谕旨所到的各省各处，犹大人大大悲哀，禁食哭泣哀号，穿麻衣躺在灰中的甚多。
4王后以斯帖的宫女和太监来把这事告诉以斯帖，他甚是忧愁，就送衣服给末底改穿，要他脱下麻衣，他却不受。
5以斯帖就把王所派伺候他的一个太监，名叫哈他革召来，吩咐他去见末底改，要知道这是什么事，是什么缘故。
6于是哈他革出到朝门前的宽阔处见末底改。
7末底改将自己所遇的事，并哈曼为灭绝犹大人应许捐入王库的银数都告诉了他；
8又将所抄写传遍书珊城要灭绝犹大人的旨意交给哈他革，要给以斯帖看，又要给他说明，并嘱咐他进去见王，为本族的人在王面前恳切祈求。
9哈他革回来，将末底改的话告诉以斯帖；
10以斯帖就吩咐哈他革去见末底改，说：
11“王的一切臣仆和各省的人民都知道有一个定例：若不蒙召，擅入内院见王的，无论男女必被治死；除非王向他伸出金杖，不得存活。现在我没有蒙召进去见王已经三十日了。”
12人就把以斯帖这话告诉末底改。
13末底改托人回覆以斯帖说：你莫想在王宫里强过一切犹大人，得免这祸。
14此时你若闭口不言，犹大人必从别处得解脱，蒙拯救；你和你父家必致灭亡。焉知你得了王后的位分不是为现今的机会吗？”
15以斯帖就吩咐人回报末底改说：
16“你当去招聚书珊城所有的犹大人，为我禁食三昼三夜，不吃不喝；我和我的宫女也要这样禁食。然后我违例进去见王，我若死就死吧！”
17于是末底改照以斯帖一切所吩咐的去行。
Queen Esther
"Who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" — Esther 4:14
"Why me?" Have you ever asked that question when someone asked you to do something or when something tragic happened to you?
Queen Esther may have felt that way when her cousin Mordecai suggested that she could use her position to stop the annihilation of her people. Mordecai reasoned that no one else among the Jews had such access to the king. So perhaps that's why God had made Esther queen—to be in a place to stop such a terrible evil from happening and save her people.
Esther knew what she had to do. She asked all her people to fast for three days and nights, and this would have included fervent prayers to God for deliverance. So when Esther walked into the king's throne room, she was wrapped not just in a beautiful robe but also in the prayers of God's people. It wasn't just the king in that room; God was there too.
We must remember that God is always with us in our world too, preparing places, opportunities, choices, and options ahead of us. We have a God who cares. We can rejoice that nothing happens by chance and that even the sad and hurtful things of life are under God's control.
Praise God that we can wake up each morning knowing that God is faithful and will carry us through each day. Praise God that Jesus has come to stop evil from happening and to save his people.
Lord, when we are hurt and frightened, help us to remember that you watch over us and care for us. May we rest in your love today. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
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