664 - Hasty Decisions

Good Morning Jesus - I just knew it would snow last night enough to get us out of school and early morning duties....... nope.  We had a lite dusting and just a tad of ice.  I tell you what, I prayed enough for 3 feet of snow.  Bummer.  I love surprises and to wake up to no school and snow and all that is always so much fun to me.  Nevertheless we have school and so I am getting a few things done before the day really gets rolling.  

This January 2 friends of mine and me are going to be doing a Bible study here at my house for 3rd and 4th graders - girls .  I am so very excited when the Lord lead this thought to me and was so thankful that my friends Andrea and TJ have decided to jump in.  (If you are from the area and have a 3rd or 4th grade girl that would like to come - by all means get in touch with me.)  So i have been busy studying up for this "adventure" - and i do not use that word lightly!  We are going to in the book of Esther and hopefully teach these girls to have some guts, be strong, and learn to stand for Him!  Please pray!

What better place to start than in Chapter one.  I was looking at the history of everything and all the "characters" and details.  There is so much here only one such as Beth Moore could really unglue it all and then put it back together in a way that all can understand - oh and by the way, she has done that and it is on the stands now!  

There are many days that I wish I was not such a hasty decision maker.  There are many things I would do differently if I had just waited a little bit longer.  Hasty, spontaneous, and loving surprises can be a very dangerous mix.  My sweet Sarahjane - the one with the shorter blonde hair - seems to be a lot like this and it gets her is much trouble... already!  I live with many regrets with not so much things i have done hastily, but definitely things I have said.  

We find the same situation going on in the first chapter of Esther.  King Xerxes has had a party for 6 months.  Then towards the end of that festival he holds a week long party for the "least to the greatest" of those in his city or area, Susa.  At the same time his wife, Queen Vashti, held a similar party for the ladies of the town.  

King Xerxes decided in a drunken stupor that his wife should come and parade herself in front of all his guest, drunk males, with her crown on.  (Scholars add that probably the crown was the only thing he wanted her to wear.)  Queen Vashti, against all common sense and with possible death as a consequence, refused and said, "Think again buko, I ain't doing that."  Well, maybe those weren't the exact words.  

King Xerxes' hasty decision didn't turn out the way he wanted.  As policy goes, she had to be done away with or at the very least, her crown was taken and she was "disbarred".  Yes, there is a wonderful lesson in here, one that i will certainly use with the girls, about knowing your limits and what your worth is.  Queen Vashti had enough pride in the person that she was that she was not going to do certain things just to keep her crown and please the masses.  

But for me, my lesson for today is one about hasty decisions.  The first verse in chapter 2 explains that possibly the King after sobering up and all might have regretted his decision.  But the queen was now gone and there was nothing that could be done.  

I know You Lord are speaking to me today.  There are many things going on in me and around me.  There are decisions to be made and they have monumental effects for the good or bad - whatever is decided.  Oh Lord, let me not be one of regret any longer.  Let me be the one that has consulted you over and over again so that i am confident in decisions i make or we make.  Oh Lord, the thing i hate the worst about hasty decisions is the people that it effects and feelings that get hurt.  Oh Lord, guide me!  

Thank you for your Word today - words that i have read many, many times.  It came alive differently to me today and for that I am continually grateful.  I love you  Jesus!