July 18

Esther 6

Haman must honor Mordecai with acts which Haman himself suggested.

INSIGHT

Very few things in the Bible are actually funny. However, taken in isolation, chapter 6 of Esther is probably the funniest event in the Bible. The king asks Haman what he thinks is a good way to honor someone. Haman thinks to himself, “Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?” (6:6). Then he tells the king what he, Haman, would like to have done for himself. The king then responds by telling Haman to do that for Mordecai. The irony is overwhelming—the humor irrepressible. The wrath of man is made to praise God.

PRAYER

God is a God of power and glory, yet He loves to call us His own. Praise Him for His love for us:
O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.
Awake, lute and harp!
I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples,
And I will sing praises to You among the nations.
For Your mercy is great above the heavens,
And Your truth reaches to the clouds.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,
And Your glory above all the earth (Psalm 108:1-5).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this prayer:
“I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me” (Jeremiah 33:8).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?
(Micah 6:8).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

• Greater wisdom in decision making
• The needs of friends
• Your activities for the day

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.
(2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)