Quiet Time Coaching Episode 481 | New Thing Series — Part 36 | “Esther’s Family” | Malcolm Cox

Introduction
A new thing! I’m Malcolm Cox. Welcome to your daily devotional podcast anchored in Isaiah 43:19: ‘See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.’

We are currently looking at God doing a new thing in the life of Esther. Today we explore Esther’s family

“Now there was a Jew in the citadel of Susa whose name was Mordecai son of Jair son of Shimei son of Kish, a Benjaminite. Kish had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with King Jeconiah of Judah, whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had carried away. Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is Esther, his cousin, for she had neither father nor mother; the girl was fair and beautiful, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai adopted her as his own daughter. So when the king’s order and his edict were proclaimed, and when many young women were gathered in the citadel of Susa in custody of Hegai, Esther also was taken into the king’s palace and put in custody of Hegai, who had charge of the women.”(Esther 2:5-8 NRSV)

Esther’s Family

  • Esther’s parents died when she was young
  • She is adopted and brought up by her cousin Mordecai
  • She is totally reliant on him for food, housing and safety – still a ‘girl’
  • She is taken from Mordecai without his or her consent and placed in circumstances of luxurious danger
  • More on that in future podcasts

For Reflection
Adoption is a Scriptural theme. Pharaoh’s daughter adopted Moses (Ex. 2:10), and Mordecai adopted Esther (Esther 2:7). Both rescue God’s people from disaster. God adopted Israel (Ex. 4:22; Deut. 7:6; Hos. 11:1; Rom. 9:4) – “Theirs is the adoption to sonship;” (Romans 9:4 NIV11). By God’s grace we are brought into his redeemed family – “children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:13 We have an inheritance – “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (Romans 8:17 NIV11)

Why not take some time today to thank God for adopting you as his son or daughter?

You could pray through this wonderful passage:

“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.” (Romans 8:15-21 NIV11)

Conclusion
I hope you find your heart, your life, your congregation and your world inspired by God doing a new thing. Until tomorrow, take care, and God bless.

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“Carpe Diem” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
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