I was burning the mid night oil late last night.
Not because I was working, watching movies or reading a good book. Not because I was up working on the mountain size pile of laundry sitting in the corner of my room that calls my name.
I was on the phone with a friend. My friend was hurting.
As my friend poured her heart out to me and ask questions I didn't really have answers to, as I sat there listening: I prayed. I prayed for my friend. That God would guide her and comfort her. I asked God to give me the words to say to bring encouragement and comfort to her.
Feelings of inadequacy flooded my heart as I failed at really offering her any scripture to stand on. I could have excused myself from her need for a friend. I could have brushed her off
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as she cried for someone to listen to her and just be there with her. I could use the excuse that I was feeling unqualified and overwhelmed. However, I felt God nudging me to be a friend through the hard stuff. Through God's grace and mercy, He gave me the compassion, words and love to encourage my friend in that moment. I could have hiked tail and ran in the opposite direction. Yet, I choose to stand on God's strength and allowed Him to use me. This morning, as the conversation replays in my mind, I'm reminded of a couple of people in the Bible and their stories of friendship that offer us a challenge and encouragement to dig deeper at really being a true friend; even in through the hard stuff. Look at the story of Job. Job 2:11 says that after hearing of Job's suffering, three of his friends left their homes to be with him, to comfort him and to minister to him. They wanted to meet Job where he was, in his raw pain. When they got to his house they didn't even recognize him. (Job 2:12) What did Job's friends do when they got to him? His friends mourned with him. They sat on the ground with him in silence for 7 days and 7 nights because they saw how great Job's suffering was. Job's friends didn't offer any excuses to turn around after they saw how deep Job's pain was. They sat with him through the hard stuff. Now let's look at the story of Esther.
As a side note, I love the book of Esther. When others ask who I would like to meet one day, my answer is always Esther.
I'm reminded of her digging deep in prayer and fasting for her people. When a decree was sent out to have all the Jews killed, she asked everyone to fast and pray with her for 3 days and nights. (Esther 4:16)
She knew she'd have to go before the king to plea for her the lives of her people. I'm sure many were her extended family and friends.
She must have been filled with fear knowing that if you go before the king without him summoning you first, there was a possibility of being put to death. She showed true friendship and leadership. Knowing it was the right thing to do, she risked her life to go before the king to save her people.
She could have said no and let the massacre of the Jews happened but she didn't. She loved her people. Even through the hard stuff.
It's easy to be a friend when all is good but are we being a friend through the hard stuff?
I want to encourage you to dig deeper, stand above the crowd and be a true friend.
Let's be encouraged by the God's Word.
Luke 6:31
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
Proverbs
17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: if either of them falls down, one can help the other up, but pity one who falls and has no one to help them up. The truth is we need each other. That is how God created us. Let's link arms and be there for each other through the good, bad and even the really hard stuff.
because she was the first of her sisters to join the rebellion, she went to law school, and
turn the light of truth upon,”10 which is something she truly fought for and succeeded
What her reasons for it were I don’t know. But she did a good job. She raised twelve children. She led a good life.”
... lost she might as well just take what she was being given. This was definitely not the way sixteenth century families were run, and because of this she fought her father, her siblings and the council of Hall for her inheritance, and in the end she had come out satisfied.
As I continued to chat with my pastor that day, I really sensed the hurt in his eyes – the anger that comes from an unsolvable injustice, the tiredness of a problem. “What’s wrong?” I finally asked, “Having a bad day?” Sensing that I was truly concerned, he let the truth be told. “I talked with a woman today whose baby died suddenly of unknown causes. As we worked through her grief, she talked about how numerous friends and family, even a religious leader had patted her on the back, shook their heads and said, ‘It was God’s will.’ I find few things worse to say to a grieving parent. Saying nothing at all would be of more help.” It was obvious from our conversation that he had an understanding greater than I about God’s will, and his insight created in me a curiosity and desire to learn more.
In relation to the other canonical books of the Old Testament, the book of Esther of the Hebrew version contains unique theological figure, which involves the removal of the name of God and the direct absences of various important religious elements essential to a Jewish or Hebrew religious writings. The book of Esther is never referred to either in the New Testament nor the Dead Sea Scrolls, neither did the early church fathers rarely even referred to it in their writings. The book of Esther seems to be “anthropocentric,” and other than fasting there does not seem to any references or any implied points to the religious perspectives on God, Law, covenants and many other important themes that play central role in the Bible as a whole. Due to the lack or deliberate omission of God and various other religious references from the book, scholars have approached and viewed the book as doubtful and question the validity and the canonicity of the book. The book is supposed to contain some theological references and objectives therefore the book is understood by Biblical scholars in light of the commencement of the festival of Purim. Biblical scholars have approached the book with hesitance and have not given a clear and concise understanding on the much neglected and misunderstood theology of the book of Esther. Biblical scholars throughout the ages have regarded the book of Esther as questionable in moral, religious, ethical and cultural values.
Dr. Nolan is the only role model character in the novel in which Esther shows love to. Dr. Nolan supports Esther in a way that she wishes her mother could support her. She encourages Esther’s unusual thinking and doesn’t tell her it’s wrong to think the way she does. She puts great trust into Dr. Nolan because she promised her that nothing would go wrong during her shock treatment, and Esther accepted her proposal.
understand what she felt about her life and her family, since her views differed from the
Though this seems despotic, recent reports say that she was just like any other ruler, and was blamed for events that would also have occurred under any other’s rule. Perhaps the saying
...y appreciated. Her only request was to have more time to get ready, a request that was promptly shot down by the represenetives, saying that she must die at the exact time specified by Queen Elizabeth.
... others to do what she needed them to do. Her subjects listed to what she had to say and were encouraged enough by her words not to give up and to continue their journey to freedom.
The book of Esther tells of a courageous young woman who uses her mind to please God. She becomes the wife of a great king and allows for protection of her own people, the Jews. Esther is a great role model for women of modern day times because of her strength, nobility, and honesty. She portrays a woman with power that most women of that day did not have. The story of Esther has empowered women of all backgrounds and will continue to do so well into the future.
endured also gave her the strength and confidence to become a great humanitarian and a
...o avoid disbelief from her audience. She was the first woman who dared to tell her experience of enslavement and how she was sexuallyabused.
Do you like to talk out your problems with a friend? Do you like to hear other people’s problems? Why do we always need to share our problems with someone? The truth is, humans are weak. We’ve always known that we can’t live by ourselves. So, it’s not a question that we need to share our burdens with someone else. We want someone to feel what we’re going through. And we’re hoping that that friend of ours has a way out of it, right? Whatever it takes, we want our problems to be solved. Unfortunately, it’s not every time can we find someone who wants to hear our problems L. Well, that’s the way humans are. We’re not perfect. But our Father in heaven is. He will faithfully listen to everything we’ve got on our minds. He is the only one who has the way, the truth, and the life. Of course, He knows how to solve our problems and He will help us with them. Now, doesn’t that sound good? Well, don’t you want to learn to hear God’s voice? The question is…how does He talk to us? Here are a few ways: