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Buried deep in an old, mostly-forgotten anthology of poetry, I found this little gem from Newman Hall—a poem that expresses in rhyme and meter the longing of many a Christian heart. May it give you words to pray for “those who do not pray, who waste away salvation’s day.”
We pray for those who do not pray!
Who waste away salvation’s day;
For those we love who love not Thee—
Our grief, their danger, pitying see.Those for whom many tears are shed
And blessings breathed upon their head,
The children of thy people save
From godless life and hopeless grave.Hear fathers, mothers, as they pray
For sons, for daughters, far away—
Brother for brother, friend for friend—
Hear all our prayers that upward blend.We pray for those who long have heard
But still neglect Thy gracious Word;
Soften the hearts obdurate made
By calls unheeded; vows delayed.Release the drunkard from his chain,
Bare those beguiled by pleasure vain,
Set free the slaves of lust, and bring
Back to their home the wandering.The hopeless cheer; guide those who doubt;
Restore the lost; cast no one out;
For all that are far off we pray,
Since we were once far off as they.
Esther, chapter 2
A beautiful girl chosen by the King of Persia to be his new Queen, unbeknownst to him, a Jewess. Pampered and Primped in the king’s haram spa until she was fit to be called to spend a night with Him. She found favor.
Meanwhile, a proud and pompous descendant of the Amaekites approached the King with a wicked plan. He hated all Jews and tricked the King into agreeing that a “subversive people group” needed purging from Persia.
Esther got wind of the plot from her uncle Mordecai. He asked her to save her people by doing the impossible – going into the king’s inner court without first being called to beg his favor. The law stated that the one who did so was to be put to death…. unless the king held out the golden scepter.
Her uncle’s words, “Do not think to yourself that in the King’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
While the Jews in capitol city fasted and prayed – Esther and her women as well – Esther made a plan. She went in the strength of Almighty God with the simple, yet sly plan, to see the King.
And miracle of miracles King Ahasuerus held out the scepter!
Twice the King and the Amalekite were invited to Esther’s private quarters for a sumptuous meal. During the second, when the King was sated with rich food, Esther told him about the Amalekite’s plot to kill her.
In a rage, the king ordered his death by hanging, and since the Law of the Persians could not be cancelled, he ordered that the Jews could fight and defend themselves when the henchmen came.
After that, a great celebration was held to honor the Jews’ victory. It’s called Purim, and is celebrated today.
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PS: The whole story of Esther in the Bible is a delightful, intriguing read. I’ve left out many of the unbelievable details. But read it on your own. It almost sounds like an episode of the Keystone Cops.
LORD, help me to be willing to stand up against evil and proclaim the righteousness of God and the Son regardless of my own safety.
JH
Genesis 18:1-14
Sarah had followed her husband from Ur of the Chaldees (modern day Iraq) to Canaan (later to be Israel) along with his father, brother, and nephew. A long journey because God had called her husband – a man of faith – to this new land. God had promised it would be theirs forever.
Then, walking from one end to the other of this long strip of “promised” land at the Eastern side of the Great Sea, camping in tents, till the pasture ran out, then moving on, making do.
And then a famine, no crops, no water for the animals, and another long journey to Egypt. “Say you are my sister, Sarah,” her husband whispered as they entered the well-watered land.
And of course she did, because she always obeyed him, and after all, wasn’t she his “half” sister? But who knew that Pharoah would desire her and take her. Sarah looked at her husband with pleading eyes as she was led away. “Tell him the truth, husband!” But he was silent.
Sarah was a woman of faith. She prayed to God and rested in the peace He sent as she settled in the kings harem. And then tragedy struck Pharoah’s palace; women began miscarrying babies, infants who were born died, and not one woman could conceive. And God spoke to Pharoah in a dream. “That woman you took is another man’s wife. Return her to him.”
This Pharoah listened to God. He took Sarah and returned her to her husband, along with food, livestock, servents, gold and silver.
“Your God spoke to me, why didn’t you? What’s wrong with you, man? What, you were afraid? Give me a break! You are lucky, I could have defiled her…. and then what would your God have done to me. BE GONE!”
And yes, reader, that happened again with King Abimilech. But this time she was a few weeks pregnant with a promised son. “Tell him you are my sister,” he’d said, and Sarah didn not even look back. She trusted God. She knew this king would not defile her. God would protect that promised seed growing within her – the One by whom the whole world would be blessed, the One who would come to save His people. Hadn’t He promised it?
Sarah remembered a few months earlier, when three strangers had come to their tent. They looked like angels, Sarah thought! She had hid inside, right at the flap of the tent and listened to them. And her laugh of… of what? Joy? distain? unbelief? She knew not which. But the One had said that in a year she would bear a son! Ha! She was 75 and her husband 100.
But it had happened, so Sarah KNEW the Holy One would protect the small speck of humaness in her by the power of His Word.
And the son was born. He was named Isaac, which means “he laughs.” Yes, he was a good, happy baby. But Sarah knew that the Holy One had heard her laugh, and had His own joke with the boy’s name.
LORD, that I might have patience and faith to trust You in my trials, and joy in all Your promises.
May 1, 2021 – 31 Days of Biblical Women – Eshet Chayil
It is a 22-verse poem found in proverbs 31:10-31, and sung each Sabbath to honor Jewish women. It is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with a letter from the Hebrew alphabet (like the sections in Psalm 119). Some interpret it as being about Abraham’s wife, Sarah, or about Solomon’s great grandmother, Ruth.
Eshet Chayil is Hebrew for “woman of worth,” “valor,” “strength,” or “virtue.”
The Woman Who Fears the LORD
10 An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar.
15 She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard.
17 She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.
LORD, give me a heart of virtue, courage, and strength, to serve my family.
jh
I found this “adventure” that took place in 2017, four years ago.
How fun this would be THIS YEAR if you all took the time to read about these women in the Bible – one per day – and wrote a short blog post, and, if you feel like it, draw a picture of how you imagine each one. Will you do it? I’m going to try.
Let me know and I’ll read your blog too!
Thank you Sara Lindenhols in the Netherlands!
http://www.lucilight.nl & http://www.saralindenhls.wordpress.com
jh
Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NIV)
“Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.”
Morning Meditations 