Devotion: Yahweh Shalom

Israel was languishing under Midianite oppression, and Gideon surely felt discouraged, abandoned, and afraid when the angel of the Lord appeared to him offering comfort, courage, and a divine commission, rooted in God’s presence and promises which bring perfect peace.  The angel of the Lord greeted Gideon with words that should have encouraged him.

“The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.”  (Judges 6: 12)

Secretly threshing wheat in a winepress where he hoped the Midianites would not find and steal it, Gideon could not have felt very valiant, and his response in verse 13 indicates that he did not sense God’s presence. He was too consumed with his own problems and the suffering of His people to look up to the omnipresent, sovereign God who mercifully meets us where we are in our low places, transforms us into who He created us to be, and equips us for His good and perfect purposes (Jeremiah 29:11).  In trying times, do we, like Gideon, become anxious and afraid or do we rest securely in God’s presence (Proverbs 18:10), praying always with thanksgiving and supplication? (Philippians 4:6)

When the angel of the Lord commissioned Gideon to save the Israelites from the hand of Midian (verse 14), Gideon hesitated and made excuses, but God promised to go with him and to deliver Israel.  Such reluctance to accept God’s calling flows out of a heart of unbelief. Gideon had heard of God’s mighty deeds as He delivered Israel out of Egyptian bondage (verse 13), yet he initially resisted the Lord’s calling, just as Moses had.

The Bible is filled with historical accounts of God’s faithfulness and provides all we need to grow in faith, wisdom, and understanding of His great love for us (Ephesians 3:14-21). We need only study, believe, and apply it. Yet, how often do we worry and fret, living as if God is not present or does not even care?   How many times have we resisted a calling as simple as sharing our faith or meeting a physical need without any lurking dangers or significant risks at all?  We do not obey when we give in to fear or selfish desires. Faith waivers when we focus on our weaknesses instead of on God’s almighty power and His certain promises. True strength and courage come as we step out in faith, trusting that His power is made perfect in our weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9) May we continually fill our hearts with God’s word and worship Him for who He is so that our faith, love, and obedience will increase.

Unconvinced, Gideon asked for a sign, and our loving Lord provided what Gideon needed to finally believe. Then the Lord gave him another promise: “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die” (verse 23). Comforted by the Lord’s presence and promises, Gideon built an altar to the Lord and called it “Yahweh Shalom”, which means, “The Lord is peace.” 

How desperately we need the Lord’s peace in our frenzied, chaotic, immoral, angry, and divided culture where billion dollar industries peddle harmful products and services that falsely promise to offer some measure of peace. Those manmade substitutes never satisfy and only leave us desperate for more.  Our world needs to know that all we really need is Yahweh Shalom.

Only God’s peace is perfect, surpassing all human understanding. (Philippians 4:6) His peace calms the wind, the waves, and the storms that rage within our restless hearts. (Mark 4:39)  God’s peace gives courage, comfort, and strength through tribulation (John 16:33). The Lord of peace protects His people and turns enemies into allies. (2 Chronicles 14:7)  Our Savior’s deep, soul satisfying peace envelops us as we meditate on His love which frees us from bondage to sin and death, washes us in forgiveness, and reconciles us with God and one another.

Even after tasting God’s perfect peace, Gideon became fearful again when the Lord instructed Him to tear down his father’s altar to Baal and the Asherah beside it. Gideon obeyed without making excuses this time, but he took ten servants with him (presumably for protection) and carried out God’s instructions at night when he was less likely to be seen. Gideon was growing into the valiant leader God called Him to be, but he still lacked sufficient confidence in the Lord. Gideon would not be free from fear and fully experience God’s lasting peace until he removed the idols and trusted in God alone. Similarly, we must throw off all the idols that consume our time, treasure, and trust in place of God. In addition, we must let go of the lesser idols we lean on for backup, should God not deliver as we would prefer.  Are we willing to face our greatest obstacles in God’s power alone, knowing that He will never fails us? (Joshua 21:45)

God protected Gideon from the wrath of the Baal worshipers, and the Spirit of the Lord “clothed” him as a great army of men followed him. Yet, Gideon sought additional reassurance. So, he set out a fleece two different times for more confirmation from the Lord.  Longsuffering is our Lord, for He answered Gideon’s tests, further strengthening Gideon’s faith and preparing him for the battle ahead.

As we undergo the sanctification process, our faith may falter as Gideon’s did.  We may not feel God’s presence or His love. Like Gideon, we may be tempted to believe that God has forsaken us.  When fear sneaks in and shakes our faith in God’s presence, power, and love, we must look to the ultimate fleece that Christ provided us on the cross.  The cross of Christ confirms His unfailing love for us. His resurrection is proof of God’s power over all, even sin and death.  His indwelling Holy Spirit assures us that we are never alone or forsaken and provides evidence of His power in and through us.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)

His inerrant word provides an abundance of confirmation and strengthens our faith as we feed on it regularly.  As we lift up our eyes to God (Isaiah 40:26), keep our minds steadfast on Him, and trust Him, God’s perfect peace abides in us. (Isaiah 26:3)

Devotion: Steven's Prayer

Stephen was a devoted Christ follower who modeled Christ in his life and in his prayers. His prayer as he was being martyred provides us with powerful instruction and inspiration as we seek to go deeper with Christ through the precious gift of prayer.  Stephen was one of seven Hellenistic Jews chosen to serve widows so the apostles could focus on their top two priorities, prayer and ministering God’s word. (Acts 6:4)  Stephen’s character, witness, and strong faith through trials suggest that he prioritized prayer and God’s word above everything else as well.  When these priorities were kept in order, just as Jesus modeled, the Word of God spread and the number of Christ followers multiplied. (Acts 6:7)  

Ask yourself:  How is God’s word spreading through me to build His kingdom?  Are prayer and God’s word my top priorities? 

Stephen was full of faith, the Holy Spirit, grace, and power, which enabled him to perform great signs and wonders. (Acts 6: 5 and 8) He was bold, articulate, and faithful to share God’s truth, yet religious leaders and the mobs they incited rejected him, falsely accused him of blasphemy, seized him, and brought him before the council. When tested, Stephen quoted the Old Testament as his defense and drew upon God’s words for strength. When giving testimony, Stephen declared Jesus as the promised Messiah.  In all these ways, Stephen followed Christ’s example. (Matthew 4:1-11, John 18)  

Ask yourself:  Do I seek to imitate Christ as Stephen did? (Ephesians 5:1)

Stephen prayed throughout his trial. Everyone seated in the council “saw that his face was like the face of an angel.” (Acts 6:15) The palpable presence of the Holy Spirit upon Stephen should have reminded his religious accusers how Moses’ face shown after talking with God. (Exodus 34:29-30)  When Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, “His face shone like the sun.”(Matthew 17:2).  Similarly, when we are filled with the Spirit and meet with the Almighty in focused prayer, we too shall reflect His glory, (2 Corinthians 4:6). 

Ask yourself:  Do I seek His presence through prayer and let His light shine through me into the darkness to reach the lost?

When Stephen’s accusers came after him with gnashed teeth, “He, full of the Spirit, gazed into Heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55) In the day of Isaiah’s sorrow, he too looked to God for comfort, and then he saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up. (Isaiah 6:1) Indeed, God has promised, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13) 

Ask yourself:  Am I continually seeking Him and His glory? Am I ready to face persecution without fear of man?

As stones violently assaulted him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” These words echo Jesus’s final words recorded in Luke 23:46. Before taking his last breath, Stephen recalled Jesus’ mercy on the cross as He said through his agony, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do,” (Luke 23:34). Faithful to follow Christ’s example to the end, Stephen’s last words were also a loud plea that God would forgive his tormenters (Acts 7:60). Then Stephen entered the full presence of the Lord. (Luke 23:32, 2 Corinthians 5:8, Philippians 1:21-23)  

Ask yourself:  Am I willing to follow Christ’s example, even to a martyr’s death?  Does concern for lost souls compel me to forgive my enemies?

God promises to work all things together for good and for His glory. (Romans 8:28) Stephen’s death sparked persecution of Christ followers, but that persecution scattered the apostles. As missionaries and refugees, they took the Gospel to Jews as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch where many believed. (Acts 11:19-21). Saul never forgot Stephen’s prayers or the way he faced death with joy and courage. (Acts 22:20) Stephen’s example was a powerful influence for Paul’s conversion and ministry which took the Gospel to the Gentiles throughout the Mediterranean region.

Stephen lived a life of constant prayer, according to Christ’s example, and for God’s glory. He found all his satisfaction, strength, and hope in God. So when he faced martyrdom, he could do so gladly in a way that glorified God and pointed others to Jesus. As Francis Chan wrote in Crazy Love, “The point of your life is to point to Him. Whatever you are doing, God wants to be glorified, because this whole thing is His.”  

Ask yourself:  Am I living only for God’s glory, or am I also trying to bring glory to myself, my spouse, or my children? 

When we trust only in Jesus and keep our eyes on Him instead of our circumstances, we too can face the worst trials with joy and hope, drawing power and wisdom from Him to respond in a way that brings God the most glory and draws others to Him.  If we want to shine for Jesus in this dark world through every trial, then let us treasure communion with God as our greatest priority. May we be faithful to listen, to pray as Jesus taught us, to believe His promises, and to study and apply His holy word, all in pursuit of His glory alone.

Freedom in God's Word

“…You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  (John 8:32)

 

This verse and the accompanying exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees in John 8:31-36 hold the keys to a fruitful, liberated Christian life that goes deep where the richest blessings flow. (Luke 5:4-11, Genesis 49:25)  We must know and receive in faith God’s truth, which is His word (Psalm 119:60, John 17:17) and Christ His Son (John 1:14, 14:6), to be set free from sin and death. 

The most essential truth that sets us free forever is the gospel of Christ. (Romans 5:8-9)  By perfectly fulfilling the law as our spotless Lamb, bearing all our sins on the cross, conquering death and rising again, Jesus set us free from sin, condemnation, guilt, death, and separation from God. We are justified and made righteous by Christ. (Romans 3:21-26, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Isaiah 1:18)  We are set free from Satan’s false accusations and from false guilt by the truth that there is no condemnation for those in Christ. (Romans 8:1)  This truth is too powerful and wonderful to keep to ourselves, so Christ’s final command to His followers before His ascension was to go and proclaim this gospel truth to the whole world. (Mark 16:15)

God’s truth gives wisdom and discernment, which free us from Satan’s lies and from sinful strongholds in disguise, such as unholy fears masquerading as loving concern. He provides all we need, freeing us from worry. (Matthew 6:25-34).  When we or our loved ones suddenly face unemployment or unexpected financial burdens, these truths free us from anxiety. We can receive perfect peace by bringing our concerns to Him in prayer. (Philippians 4:6-7)  

His truth removes the fear of man (Proverbs 29:25), which liberates us to live for Him so that others may hear the truth and find freedom too.  His truth emboldens us to stand up for truth and righteousness against opposition because His power is greater than the power of this world. (1 John 4:4) We can rejoice under trials because His rewards far surpass any earthly suffering. (Matthew 5:10-12, 2 Corinthians 4:9)

God’s truth frees us from fear of the future. While tomorrow may seem uncertain, God knows what each day brings, and His word tells us how this story ends.  We will face battles, but Christ wins the war.  Through it all, He will strengthen, help, uphold, and deliver us. (Isaiah 41:10, Psalms 34:4) As co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), our eternal inheritance is secure.  Our citizenship is in Heaven! (Philippians 3:20, John 14:2-3) We are overcomers and more than conquerors through Christ (Romans 8:37, 1 John 5:4). So when tragedy comes and loved ones pass, when we battle infertility or scary medical diagnoses, or when elections do not go our way, the truth gives certain hope. We may be grieved and afflicted but not crushed; we may be perplexed, but are free from despair. (2 Corinthians 4:8) God is sovereign over all. He appoints leaders according to His perfect plan. He allows suffering to strengthen and refine us and to serve His greater purposes, but He never abandons us. (Romans 13: 1-7) He is all-powerful, faithful, loving, and good. His mercies are new every morning. (Lamentations 3:22-23) Whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s and He goes with us. He has removed the sting of death and obtained the victory. His eternal truth casts out fear. (Psalm 23:4, Romans 14:7-9)

God’s truth frees us from low self-esteem and identity crises.  His word teaches us who and whose we are and shows us our infinite value and eternal purpose. No one knows us like the One who knew us and predestined us before He even made us! (Jeremiah 1:5)  The opinions of others are fickle, but God’s truth never changes. By clinging to His truth and finding our identity in Him, we are set free from all the drama, emotional turmoil, people pleasing (Galatians 1:10, Isaiah 2:22), moral compromising, and ceaseless striving that accompany identity confusion.  Instead of drawing attention to ourselves for validation through the praises of men (whether by immodest dress, grandstanding, suggestive or obnoxious behavior, or perpetual performing), we are free to live authentically, fulfilling God’s purpose for us with confident assurance. 

When we understand our identity and worth, we are set free from feeling offended by different opinions or by personal attacks.  When others have hurled angry insults at me and falsely slandered me, I have found their words do not hurt me when I stand on God’s truth.  My identity is in Christ, not the opinions of others. No one has the authority to define me but God, so nothing anyone says to me or about me can ever change who I am or diminish my value. Angry hurtful words reveal the contents of the slanderer’s heart, not mine. The truth will become obvious soon enough.  (Numbers 32:23)

God’s truth also defines our position.  Our greatest deeds are as filthy rags compared to His holy standard. (Isaiah 64:6)  Before Christ changed us, we were children of wrath, enslaved to sinful desires, spiritually dead, and without hope. It is only by His grace that we are saved, not by works, so no one can boast. (Ephesians 2).  Apart from Him, we can do nothing. (John 15:5) This truth frees us from pride, self-absorption, and self-reliance.

As we grow in our understanding of who we are, who others are, and who God is, we are set free from prejudice and hate, for how can we say we love God (who is love) and hate those who He made in His image for His glory. (1 John 4:8 ) Prejudice assumes superiority over another, but God’s truth shatters any preconceived notions of our own self-importance.  When we know and experience God’s love and forgiveness, we are set free to love and forgive others. (John 13:34-35, John 15:12, Colossians 3:13)

When we find our value in His truth that never changes, we are set free from feelings of rejection or abandonment.  I was adopted into a loving home in the early 1970s when adoptions were closed and less common. During my childhood, kids would ask me, “Why didn’t your mother want you?”  Back then, I didn’t know why she placed me for adoption, but I did know that my adoptive parents had selected me as their own.  They had loved me wholeheartedly, unconditionally, and sacrificially.  While some kids felt sorry for me, I considered myself doubly blessed because I had not only be accepted, but also chosen. My birth parents’ feelings toward me seemed irrelevant because I was with the family God had intended from the beginning.  That truth was so freeing for me as a little girl and helped me better understand God’s unconditional love for me as His adopted daughter. (1 Peter 2:9) 

When I was in college, my birth mother hired a detective to find me. She was desperate to know if I had been adopted into a safe, loving home or into an abusive home like the one she had released me from by placing me for adoption.  Meanwhile, I had begun praying for my birth mother after hearing a sermon that stirred my heart to love and serve women in crisis pregnancy situations. When my birth mother first contacted me out-of-the-blue on March 27, 1995, I had just read these words from the March 27 entry of Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest: 

“God has to hide from us what He does until by personal character we get to the place where He can reveal it”.

I was no longer afraid to meet her because my identity was secure in Christ. I was ready to meet her because the truth of my position before Christ had just crushed the spiritual pride growing in m. So when she called, I calmly (rare for me) told her I had just been praying for her and asked her if she knew Jesus as Savior. The truth of my idyllic childhood, loving family, and God’s sovereignty revealed in my life, set her free from the fears that had haunted her.  Over the years, I watched God’s truth set her free in so many different areas of life just as His truth was transforming me. (We later discovered that she was baptized in another church the same day our daughter was baptized at Providence, which is fitting since God’s truth declares His providence!)

The power of God’s truth to set people free is like a beautiful domino toppling display with exponential limits. Will we be faithful to start the toppling of strongholds by learning, believing, and applying His truth in every area of our lives and by sharing it with others? 

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36)

God’s word gives wisdom; it opens our eyes,
And helps us discern truth from Satan’s lies.
It frees us from sin's strongholds in disguise
And offers salvation from our sins' demise
Through the love of Jesus, Heaven's glorious prize.

Guard Your Thoughts

 ^“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”  (2 Corinthians 10:5, NIV)

Out of all of God’s magnificent creation, only mankind was created in His own image (Genesis 1: 26-27) with a mind like His that can think, reason, feel, express emotion, and make choices.  In Genesis 3, we first see this battle of the mind in action as Eve allows the serpent to fill her mind with doubt, deceit, and sinful desires.  Since Eve did not guard her thoughts, she chose sin which gave way to death. (James 1:14-16)  Battles are constantly raging in our minds, so we must always be prepared to defeat the enemy’s lies with God’s truth.

To guard our thoughts effectively, we must put on the mind of Christ. (Philippians 2:5) Having the mind of Christ requires that we first know God and the truth as revealed in His word.   When we accept Christ as Savior and surrender to His Lordship over our lives, we receive new life and His Spirit indwells us, enabling us to guard our minds.

^“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6)

God desires to fill us with His truth which will deflect any arrow of deceit the enemy may hurl at us.  God commanded His people in Joshua 1:8 to meditate on His Law day and night and to obey all of it so that they may have prosperity and success.  The Lord promised His people that when the Messiah came, He would write His law in the minds and hearts of His people. (Jeremiah 31:33)  It is imperative that we know His law well, without adding to it, distorting it, or taking away from it, so that we may quickly recognize any falsehood and dismiss it before it takes root in our minds.

God’s word also teaches us what should consume our thoughts. We are to study what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy. (Philippians 4:8) Those who are trained to identify counterfeit money study authentic currency instead of various counterfeits until they know the real currency so perfectly that any deviation from what is truly genuine becomes blatantly obvious.  When we meditate on God’ truth and reject falsehood, our thoughts are kept secure.

In addition to knowing God personally and understanding His word, we must guard our thoughts by fixing our minds on Jesus and trusting in Him completely.   As long as our minds are focused on Jesus, we will experience God’s perfect peace.  (Isaiah 26:3)  Let us not to rely upon limited human understanding, but choose instead to submit to Him.  (Proverbs 3: 5-6) When we trust in Him and seek Him through prayer, He will guide and guard our thoughts. 

In addition, must regularly renew our minds with God’s truth as He transforms us into His image.  (Romans 12:2)  Writing in a journal has been a beneficial tool for me personally.  Writing out His truths helps me remember them.  Meditating on these written truths impresses them on my heart.  Through prayer, God has revealed personal applications of those truths in my life which I have recorded in my journal.  As I reflect over these journal entries, I see God’s direct answers to prayers and am reminded of His faithfulness which helps me trust Him more.   Seeking honest accountability from trustworthy, faith filled friends adds another hedge of protection as we strive to guard our thoughts and keep our minds renewed in Christ.

In Ephesians 6:10-17, we are reminded that the biggest battles that rage against us in, around, and against us are spiritual in nature, so therefore, we must put on the full spiritual armor of God.

¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)

As shown in the diagram below, this armor consists of five pieces of defensive armor (salvation, righteousness, truth, faith, and peace), and only one offensive weapon, "the sword of the spirit which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17b).  Our defensive armor protects us from fatal blows by the enemy of our souls, and the assurance of our salvation covers our mind.  Between battles we may stow our sword in the belt of truth, but when the enemy taunts us with lies, waging battles against our minds, we must wield the sword, turning every advance against us back onto the enemy with the word of God. The word of God is what kept temptation from wounding Christ in the wilderness, and the word of God will push back  the lies, accusations, and fears Satan hurls at us back upon him where they belong.

As an epilogue, I have shared a sample list of common lies we women often hear and truths from God’s word to refute each lie.  This list has been a useful resource for me as I struggle daily to defeat Satan’s lies with the truth, taking every thought captive to obedience to Christ.

Satan's Lie:   It’s hopeless and impossible.
God's Truth:  All things are possible through Christ (Luke 18:27)

Satan's Lie:   No one loves you.
God's Truth:  I love you perfectly forever.  (John 3:16, Jeremiah 31:3)

Satan's Lie:   Life is overwhelming, so give up!  
God's Truth:  My grace is sufficient. (2 Corinthians 12:9) 
                      I will help & deliver you. (Psalm 91:15)

Satan's Lie:   You can’t do it. 
God's Truth:  In Christ, you can do all things. (Philippians 4:13)  

Satan's Lie:   If you try, you will fail.  
God's Truth:  I will equip you to abound in good work. (2 Cor. 9:8)

Satan's Lie:   God let that happen, so He is not good.
God's Truth:  God works all things together for good.  (Romans 8:28)   

Satan's Lie:   God can’t forgive you for that.   
God's Truth:  Confess, and I will forgive you. (John 1:9)

Satan's Lie:   You can’t forgive yourself.    
God's Truth:  There is no condemnation in Christ. (Romans 8:1)

Satan's Lie:   You aren’t smart enough.   
God's Truth:  God gives wisdom.  (1 Corinthians 1:30)

Satan's Lie:   You are all alone. 
God's Truth:  I will never leave or forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)

Satan's Lie:   Value comes from external beauty.  
God's Truth:  Your inner beauty is of greatest worth. (1 Peter 3:4)

Satan's Lie:   You aren’t lovely or special.   
God's Truth:  You are wonderfully made. (Psalm 139: 13-15)

Resources for Additional Study
 Lies Women Believe:  And the Truth that Sets them Free by Nancy Leigh DeMoss

The Mind of Christ by T.W. Hunt

This post was adapted from a devotion originally written for the women's ministry at pray.org

Dysfunctional Relationships: King Xerxes and Queen (Esther 1)

Proverbs 31:10-31 describes the virtues that characterize the ideal Christian woman.  She has great inner beauty flowing out of her strong faith in God.  She is trustworthy, industrious, faithful, wise, discerning, charitable, responsible, loving, respectable, and dutiful.  She brings honor to her husband, and is praised by her husband and children. Her reputation is one of utmost integrity and surpassing excellence.

In the first chapter of Esther, we are introduced to a Queen Vashti who serves as a contrast to the Proverbs 31 woman in both her description and her relationships.  Proverbs 31 never specifically describes the virtuous woman’s outward appearance because her inner beauty and character are so striking that the physical appearance doesn’t even register. Conversely, all we know about Vashti is that she was exceedingly beautiful on the outside (verse 11).   The Proverbs 31 woman enjoyed a healthy, happy, God-honoring marriage because she and her husband put their trust in the Lord and pursued His righteousness. Vashti’s marriage was empty, joyless, and void of love or respect, for it was based on outward appearances, deceptive charms, and carnal desires. 

Esther 1 begins with King Ahasuerus (Hebrew name for “Xerxes”) hosting a feast.   The king held an extravagant 7-day banquet for men only in the court of the palace garden following a 180-day expo displaying the kingdom’s riches and splendor which was designed to convince a strong army of men that he could and would richly reward them if they succeeded in taking Athens.  The king broke Persian tradition in verse 8. Instead of each guest drinking a sip of wine only when the king takes a drink as was customary, King Ahasuerus set up an open bar for all to take as much as they wanted without limit, perhaps as another reminder to his guests of his vast provisions. By the last day of the feast, the king was drunk (vs. 10), and I am assuming the same for most of his guests.

Life Application:  Set wise limits for yourself and for those you lead.

Meanwhile, Queen Vashti was hosting a feast for the women in the palace “which belongs to King Ahasuerus” (Esther 1:9).  I wonder if that last clause was added to emphasize the king’s perceived ownership of not just the palace, but the kingdom and the queen as well.   For the king’s last political maneuver to impress and win over his guests, he ordered seven eunuchs to “bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown, in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely to look at.” (Esther 1:10) To his dismay, Vashti denied his request!   Her refusal dishonored, shamed, and weakened the king in the eyes of those he most wanted to impress.  Her punishment for refusing to come to the king was ironically that she should never come before the king again.   One brief instance of neglecting the most important relationship in her life resulted in spending the rest of her life alone, never again to experience the companionship of a husband.

Life Application: Never forget how much relationships matter, especially the relationship between husband and wife which was designed to reflect Christ’s relationship with the church. Keep the long term consequences in mind, especially when making decisions that impact those closest to you.

Painting by Edwin Long

We don’t know why she refused him.  Perhaps she prioritized hospitality to her guests over entertaining his.  Maybe she valued her own dignity too much to be paraded immodestly in front of a large crowd of drunken men with ogling eyes.  Possibly, she was just a strong-willed woman who disrespected her proud king.  Whatever the case, she was in a no-win situation. If she obeyed, she would forfeit her own self-respect. If she denied his request, she would receive the king’s wrath.  She chose to disobey. If Vashti had been a Christian at a later time with both the Old and New Testaments to guide her, would she have chosen differently?  

A Christian wife’s most important relationships are first with God and then with her husband.  God’s intent is for the wife to help and complement her husband, whom He equipped and established as head over the wife.  Obeying her husband should be all joy as he lays down his life out of love for her.  Sometimes, however, he may make requests that she thinks are wrong or ridiculous, but unless her husband is calling her to do something clearly forbidden by God’s word, then she should submit to Him as unto the Lord.  (Colossians 3: 18-19)  If her husband is not a believer, then she should still submit herself to him, so that by her respectful and pure conduct, she may win his heart for Christ. (1 Peter 3:1-2)

In chapter 2, we learn Ahasuerus’ method for choosing a queen and can conclude that Vashti’s external beauty and charms won her the throne. Her tenure as queen was brief and required constant role-playing as Proverbs 31:30 (see devotion based on that verse here) warns.  Ahasuerus had chosen her as his pretty possession to be paraded, not as a woman to cherish, and in return, she had little respect for him.  

Life Application:  To maintain a healthy marriage, seek God first and continuously sow love and respect, as described in Ephesian 5:22-26, into the marriage. 

I too easily empathized with Vashti in this story.  I can be stubbornly strong-willed, but unlike Vashti, I am married to man who loves me unconditionally and sacrificially, regardless of how I appear on the outside.  Even so, there have been times when I have disagreed with my husband’s decisions or directions.  He understands the wife’s role as the husband’s helper, so he is willing to listen and consider my input as long as I make my appeal with a gentle and submissive spirit.  (1 Peter 3:3-5) If I choose instead a harsh, condescending tone and criticize or second-guess him with an attitude of wanting to rule over him in the matter, then I shut down communication entirely. Such a haughty response is no better than Vashti’s outright refusal. Vashti and Xerxes’s relationship suffered from inadequate communication.  Similarly, when we fail to maintain gentle, respectful, and loving communication, our relationships fall apart. 

We learn in chapter 2 Ahasuerus’ method for choosing a queen and can conclude that Vashti’s external beauty and charms. Just as Proverbs 31:30 warned, her tenure as queen required constant role-playing and only lasted a few years.  Ahasuerus had chosen her as his pretty possession to be paraded, not as a woman to love or cherish, and in return, she had little respect for him.  This Godless marriage severely lacked the two most important ingredients for a healthy marriage, love and respect. 

Life Application:  To maintain a healthy marriage, seek God first and continuously sow love and respect, as described in Ephesian 5:22-26, into your marriage. 

Instead of responding to Vashti's refusal in a dignified manner befitting a king, he let rage consume him.  He immediately sought counsel from the worst possible advisors.  The ESV calls them “wise men who knew the times” but the cross references found in Daniel 2:2, 2:27, 4:7, and 5:7 refer to astrologers, magicians, and sorcerers.  They were charlatans.  The Hebrew word translated in this verse as “wise men” is חָכָם chaka.  This same Hebrew word is also found in Isaiah 44:45 where the Lord calls such men “liars” and “fools”.  Any advice a lying fool gives will inevitably be both deceptive and foolish. 

Life Application:  Seek counsel only from honest, wise, faithful, God fearing people who seek the Lord with a pure heart. Confirm that advice by making verifying that it is consistent with God’s word and His character, and wrap all decisions in faith filled prayer.

Instead of providing a solution to the problem, the advisor’s spokesman, Memucan, escalated the problem.  Each of his words formed a crescendo from a point of Vashti embarrassing the king to the wide assertion that Vashti’s refusal will harm everyone in the entire kingdom. After insisting that the king immediately dismiss Vashti as queen, Memucan exacerbated and replicated the problem by recommending that an irrevocable royal order be decreed commanding all women to give honor to their husbands (verse 20).  Just as Vashti had been expected to honor and respect a husband she may have despised, each wife throughout the kingdom would now be forced to feign honor to her husband whether he deserved it or not.  This deceiver’s decree turned any honor men may have received into lie.  Memucan thought Vashti’s refusal would incite rebellion among the women when his recommendation was much more likely have that effect. This decree also ironically ordered every husband to do what the king failed to do, to be master over his household. No man can effectively lead his household without first unconditionally and sacrificially loving his wife as a sacred person instead of treating her like a piece of property, so this decree was like a permission slip for husbands to become overbearing, selfish, unloving, abusers.  With one decree, the king’s own marital dysfunction spread to marriages through the 127 provinces he ruled. 

As the leader of such a vast kingdom stretching from India to Ethiopia, Xerxes was a role model for all the people. He should have addressed his marital problems wisely, privately, and with humility. Instead, he morphed his personal humiliation into a kingdom crisis.

Life Application:  We are all setting an example for someone.  Instead of spreading dysfunction to those we lead, let us teach them to run to Christ for all that they need.  Let us humbly admit our failures and model genuine repentance, restitution, and restoration, so that those who follow us will aim higher, finding all their hope and strength in Christ alone.  

A wife can help diffuse her husband’s anger with a word aptly spoken. (Proverbs 25:11)  A swift and humble apology by Vashti might have softened the king’s rage before he sought counsel from deceptive and foolish advisors.  As she seeks to serve, honor, and support her husband out of love for Christ, the church’s eternal bridegroom, may the wife remember that “a soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”  A wife helps her husband by using wisdom when she speaks, commending knowledge without pouring forth folly. (Proverbs 15: 1-2)  If her husband still behaves foolishly, let the wife be like Abigail, who with wisdom, courage, and gentleness interceded for her husband to save him (1 Samuel 25).  We strengthen our marriages and help our husbands most when we pray for them, for in so doing, we submit to God, our husbands, and God’s will for our marriages.

True Beauty

“Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.” (Proverbs 31:30, ESV)

My daughter and I just finished a Bible study with other liked-minded moms and daughters to prepare our girls for adolescence. As I have watched these preteens become less like little girls and more like young women, Proverbs 31:30 has echoed through my teaching and prayers for them. They are growing up in a culture where the voices all around them scream the opposite. “Physical beauty and seductive charms will get you what you want,” chants the father of lies. “If you show enough skin, you’ll get lots of attention and feel loved and adored,” he whispers, “but first you must lose weight, change your nose, add lash extensions, enhance your lips, add implants, tan evenly, grow thick long hair, and wear expensive clothing and jewelry.” These lies lead women down a dangerous road of deception, distraction, desperation, disappointment, disillusionment, dissatisfaction, defeat, and destruction.

Chasing after false beauty (office.com)

The world’s definition of beauty is external, expensive, ever-changing, exhausting, and impossible, though there are plenty of cosmetologists, fashion merchandisers, weight loss product marketers, and plastic surgeons ready to transform every woman into something she is not until she forgets who and whose she really is. Desperate for attention and validation, she becomes consumed with perfecting beauty. Instead of pursuing Christ who truly satisfies and following His plans for her life which reap eternal fruit, she becomes distracted by vanity.

The Hebrew word translated “vain” in the ESV phrase “beauty is vain” is הֶבֶל (hebel). Strong’s Concordance defines “hebel” as “emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory.” The NIV translates the word in this verse as “fleeting”. The Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon describes hebel as “breath… often used of a gentle breeze” as in Isaiah 57:13. While a makeover, new outfit, or day at the spa or salon may feel refreshing like a gentle breeze, neither lingers very long. Before I catch my next breath, my make-up runs, my pores clog, and another gray hair appears. Even costly surgical procedures or Botox injections must be repeatedly redone because nothing man-made can ultimately stop the aging process. Yet, the enemy of our souls pressures women to keep chasing so they’ll be too distracted by meaningless vanity to follow God and impact hearts and souls for eternity.

As the deceived woman projects her false persona, spewing scripted charms while compromising self-respect, truth, and modesty, she does indeed draw attention. Other ladies will notice her and likely feel jealous and insecure, while guys will be drawn to her for all the wrong reasons. She charms others into her lair without realizing that she is the one being trapped in a snare. Enjoying all the new attention and feeling a sense of control over others, she fears losing it. So she becomes a slave to her beauty treatments and to whatever her suitors demand from her. She lures others with her external beauty and her seductive charms, yet she deceives herself into believing that they will love and cherish her unconditionally for who she really is inside. When her suitors manipulate her, use her, and quickly abandon her, she feels disappointed, disillusioned, depressed, and defeated. If she had valued inner beauty, authenticity, and integrity instead of superficial, fleeting, outward adornments, others would have noticed her as a person to be cherished instead of as an object to be used.

This pattern of deceptive charm and fleeting beauty leading to destruction is so familiar that Ezekiel personifies Tyre as a beautiful mistress when prophesying of her coming destruction. Tyre’s obsession with her own outer beauty and charms brought forth her destruction. (Ezekiel 27: 3b-4) God gave Tyre her exquisite beauty, yet she became proud. She was so distracted by all the attention she was getting and the wealth she was producing that she traded God, the source of all her greatness, for corruption.

 Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings. (Ezekiel 28:17) 

True and lasting beauty is internal, not external. Instead of adorning ourselves with expensive clothes, jewelry, and beauty treatments, we should instead wear a gentle and quiet spirit that is wholly submitted to God first and then to our husbands (if married). Ironically, by possessing a beautiful, gentle, submissive spirit, Esther had to endure a year of exhausting external beauty treatments before being presented as a candidate for queen. Yet, her inner beauty stood out among all the other women and won her favor among everyone she met. When she was given the opportunity to choose an additional adornment to take with her into the King’s chambers to make herself more attractive to him, she chose nothing more than what the eunuch advised. By removing the distraction of external adornments, her inner beauty was put on display and won the heart of King Xerxes, who had previously only chosen women according to their external appearance to suit his carnal desires. He cherished Esther as one more valuable than eye candy. He loved her as a person with a beautiful mind, heart, and soul. (Esther 2)

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. (1 Peter 3:3-4, NIV)

In English translations of the Bible, “beauty” is often used to describe God’s glory on earth. Perfect beauty is only glimpsed in His presence, for only He is altogether beautiful (Psalm 50:2).

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. (Psalm 27:4) 

Christ’s beauty was not reflected in His outward appearance as he walked on earth (Isaiah 53:2), but God’s glory within him radiated outward and pointed others to God.

If beauty comes from within, and God’s glory is perfect beauty, then by seeking Christ, submitting to the Lord’s work in our lives, and being filled with His spirit, we reflect His radiant beauty. Unlike external beauty which fades with time, our inner beauty increases as we grow in relationship with Christ.

Beauty is not something we make for ourselves through man-made products and services. Beauty was woven into every person’s perfect design by Creator God for His glory and good purposes. He knit us together in our mother’s womb. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139: 13-14) If He is the essence of beauty, then by making us in His own image and likeness (Genesis 1: 26), He made each one of us beautiful. Not only did He make us beautiful, He made us flawless! (Song of Songs 4:7)

Jonny Diaz reminds us of these truths through his song, “More Beautiful You”.  Selected stanzas follow. 

Well, little girl fourteen I wish that you could see
That beauty is within your heart,
And you were made with such care, 
your skin, your body and your hair
Are perfect just the way they are.

There could never be a more beautiful you.
Don't buy the lies, disguises and hoops, 
they make you jump through.
You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do,
So there could never be a more beautiful you.

Little girl twenty-one the things that you've already done
Anything to get ahead
And you say you've got a man, but He's got another plan,
Only wants what you will do instead.

The following closing prayer has been excerpted from Praying Proverbs 31: prayers for a daughter'svirtue by Tracy Glockle.

Father, may our daughters not confuse vanity for beauty or be distracted by the attention of others. Though, in a world obsessed with appearances, they may receive more praise for their appearance than their character, keep their heart attuned to Your praise. Help them to keep the priority of an attractive appearance in its proper place, to realize that serving others and glorifying God are not dependent on a hair style or make-up. May their desire be that others remember them for their character and their God rather than for their jewelry or their clothes.  Father, our prayer is that they would not dress to meet a standard but that they would clothe themselves from a motivation of love and worship of You. Help our daughters to see that their beauty is yet another way of bringing honor to You, and that it goes much deeper than what others might immediately see. 

Devotion originally written for Providence Baptist Church, Women's Ministry series on Proverbs 31.

For further examination of this issue as it pertains to modesty in dress, 

we recommend the Pool Modesty series which begins here.