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05/02/2025, WednesdayEsther 3

Put God First

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Ps. Joseph Tang

Passage of the day

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Fame and status mean a great deal to some people because they often bring admiration, wealth and power. When Haman was promoted by King Ahasuerus, his position was above all the officials around him, so at the entrance to the king's palace, all the king's servants bowed to Haman, as the king had commanded. But Mordecai, the Jew in the palace, did not do so, and Haman was very angry. So not only did Haman want to get rid of Mordecai, but even more outrageously, he even wanted to get rid of all the Jews. From this we can see how vicious this man was. To satisfy his pride, Haman plotted to convince King Ahasuerus to order the extermination of the Jews.

Why did Mordecai refuse Haman's request? We can find the answer in the Jewish Law and in his faith. Jewish law clearly states that there is only one true God who is worthy of worship (Exodus 20:3-5). Haman's request to kneel had religious implications, so Mordecai refused to comply. As a devout Jew, Mordecai felt that kneeling before Haman violated his obedience to God. Mordecai could have quietly obeyed and accepted the command, thus avoiding the consequences, but Mordecai chose to obey God.

There are two important lessons to be learned from this incident:

Put God First

Mordecai's behavior shows that obedience to God is above all else, even in the face of pressure or threats. He refused to yield to Haman because he was unwilling to compromise his faith. This reminds us that no matter what difficulties we encounter, we must follow God's commandments, be faithful to God, and not compromise with worldly authority. Only by putting God first can we live a life that pleases God.

Undeniably, we do encounter challenging problems and dilemmas in life, but we must remember, as Mordecai did, that no matter how difficult the situation is, we must persevere in God's teachings, worship God, be faithful to Him, and not succumb to worldly power or temptation.

The Dangers of Power and Pride

Haman's arrogance and desire for status made him intolerant of any “offense” and he even decided to exterminate the Jews. The Russian writer Lev Tolstoy once said: “To sin is the work of man, and to justify sin is the work of the devil.” Indeed, human sin is terrible. If a person's pursuit of status and power exceeds his fear of God, it will naturally lead to sin. Therefore, we should be vigilant and watch our attitudes and thoughts. When facing achievements, we should have a humble heart and give all glory to God, rather than letting power and pride dominate our lives. Only then can we avoid falling into sin through arrogance and greed.

Prayer : Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for teaching us through the testimony of Mordecai. Give us faith to hold fast to the truth, to serve you faithfully, and not to compromise with the world. Keep us spiritually free from pride and temptation and give you all the glory. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.