March 13 Hope

Esther 6:11-13 So Haman took the robes and the horse, and he dressed Mordecai and led him through the square of the city, proclaiming before him, “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.” 12 Then Mordecai returned to the king's gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered. 13 And Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and his wife Zeresh said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of the Jewish people, you will not overcome him but will surely fall before him.”
 
HAMAN is suddenly faced not with his own glory but with his own death! Here is the reality of sin’s penalty. Suddenly, irrevocably he has no hope for life. His doom is sure as the forces of his sins form against him. Haman’s wise men – counselors – and his wife who so urged him to destroy Mordecai now know Haman’s fate is sealed.
    What a terrible thing it is to be in such a place. Pridefully, he has followed godless advice. He is the sinner discovered. He is the criminal condemned. He is the merciless man who will not receive mercy.
    But before you rejoice in Haman’s condemnation, remember you were born under the same curse. Mankind’s plight has been so since Adam allowed Eve’s sin. Listen, for example to these hard words from James written to early church: James 4:1-5 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (underline mine) 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 
    Again, we see in a New Testament writer referring to “Haman-like” sin in the church. These words could easily be a summary of our lives, our church, our nation and our world.
    But know this: You can live in hope! What do we have that Haman did not have? Of course, we have the gospel of salvation. We have the good news of Jesus Christ, Savior and Redeemer. When we realize we are condemned as Haman by our sin, we do not have to live in that condemnation. Instead, as we confess our sins and call on Jesus, we are born again into the hope and joy of life forevermore!
    Consider your sins. Have you confessed them? Consider Jesus. Have you confessed him as your Lord? Speak these truths. Be saved in Jesus’ blood. Live in his grace. Stand in hope.   
 
Prayer: Lord God, I know too many people who go about their lives trampling over others’ lives. Awaken them to see the condemnation of their sins. Turn their mouths to confess, “I am a sinner. Jesus is my Lord.” In the Spirit’s power I pray, amen.