Readers’ Choice is here: Over two-thirds of our devotionals get emailed responses from readers like you. Hearing that what we have written is meaningful to you is meaningful to us. That’s why we love sharing some of your comments and messages. Thank you, readers. We do what we do to serve you. There’s still time to tell us about your favorite, most meaningful posts of the year. If you shared it with someone, or it helped you, let us know via email, direct message, or by filling out the linked form.
Links for today’s readings:
Oct 31 Read: 2 Kings 13 Listen: (4:33) Read: Psalms 62-63 Listen: (2:44)
Links for this weekend’s readings:
Nov 1 Read: 2 Kings 14 Listen: (5:06) Read: Psalms 64-65 Listen: (2:39)
Nov 2 Read: 2 Kings 15 Listen: (6:21) Read: Psalms 66-67 Listen: (2:42)
Readers’ Choice posts are selected by our readers:
Brian, DC — Thanks for this reflection. I love beautiful surprises sent by The Almighty to me and my family…Thanks again for this wonderful reminder of how God works among us.
Like last year, we will repost all Christmas-themed Readers’ Choice posts together in one week. We pray our hearts are prepared to make room for Christ this coming Advent season. This post was originally published on December 4, 2024, based on readings from Esther 5.5-9 and Luke 1.45.
Scripture Focus: Esther 5.5-9
5 “Bring Haman at once,” the king said, “so that we may do what Esther asks.”
So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared. 6 As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, “Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.”
7 Esther replied, “My petition and my request is this: 8 If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.”
9 Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai
Luke 1.45
45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!
Reflection: Anticipated Surprises — Readers’ Choice
By John Tillman
Esther and Mary know about anticipation. What are you anticipating?
There’s a lot of anticipatory tension in Esther’s story. After Xerxes’s edict, the Jews anticipated a day of destruction decreed a year in the future. After prayer and fasting, Esther entered the king’s presence uninvited and waited, anticipating his decision to spare or take her life. “If I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4.16)
When spared, Esther did not pour out her request immediately, but made Xerxes wait. He anticipated her request at two banquets she invited him and Haman to attend.
It’s unclear why Esther delayed. It could have been fear or hesitation, but it seems more likely to be strategic. Xerxes appears rash (Esther 1.12), forgetful (Esther 6.3), negligent (Esther 4.11), and easily manipulated throughout the story. It is likely that Esther knew this and used anticipation to allow him to remember her charms and renew his affection for her.
Meanwhile, Haman also anticipated. Haman’s mind spun with selfish visions as he bragged about his growing power and closeness to Xerxes and the queen. But he was not content to anticipate good things for himself, Haman relished thoughts of torturing Mordecai, who he viewed as an enemy.
Haman had good reasons to anticipate his victories. Esther had good reasons to fear her defeat. We are not wrong to anticipate that the powerful will continue to abuse power and that violence will continue to be wielded against the weak. We are not wrong to expect the world to be wicked and our lot to include suffering but we are also not wrong to anticipate with hope the unlikely victories that God’s providence arranges.
Every wicked thing Haman anticipated was reversed and he became the victim of every device of torture he set up. Every wicked thing Esther feared was reversed and she became the victor over every scheme set against her. Our enemy anticipates our defeat but God loves turning anticipated losses into unanticipated victories.
God loves a surprise ending, like Esther’s. God also loves a surprise beginning, like Mary’s. Mary didn’t anticipate unwed pregnancy, uninvited shepherds and magi, or fleeing to exile in Egypt. There were many surprises of Jesus’ life in which anticipated doom was overcome by unanticipated hope.
God has unanticipated goodness ready to overturn anticipated failures, hurts, and sorrows. Anticipate surprises. Resurrection is the ultimate surprise ending God has promised. Set your hope on both the sure promises and the unanticipated blessings of God.
The Lord’s Prayer:
We will take a break from The Divine Hours prayers for the month of October and instead pray Dallas Willard’s paraphrase of The Lord’s Prayer:
Dear Father, always near us, may your name be treasured and loved, may your rule be completed in us—may your will be done here on earth in just the way it is done in heaven.
Give us today the things we need today, and forgive us our sins and impositions on you as we are forgiving all who in any way offend us.
Please don’t put us through trials, but deliver us from everything bad. Because you are the one in charge, and you have all the power, and the glory too is all yours-forever-which is just the way we want it!
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Read more about Scandalous Surprise of Hope — The Hope of Advent
Who are we to have such hope as advent promises? That Christ would come to us is baffling, surprising, and to some, scandalous.
