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Today Jews around the world celebrate Purim—God’s deliverance of His people through Queen Esther. That tragedy in history began because of the royal advisor Haman’s thirst for power. What Queen Esther did to counter his evil was to be gracious to her husband the King; bringing him relaxation and comfort where he could savor food and drink and find restful moments in her company and beauty.
When that banquet was done; she gave him another. She did not rush through her request. As she encouraged her husband the King to savor his time with her, she showed him that what she would be asking was not something trivial.
The savoring ensured that the King understood its importance. It was important enough to make him think and wait for her request.
I am in the midst of writing a bible study about how God sees his women of faith with lessons learned from Queen Esther. I struggle with my desire to be obedient in writing the book and getting it out into the world. Yet, the book appears to want to be written at a slower pace. Why?
Is it fear that once I finish the writing, I will have to face the tremendous work and anxiety of pursuing publication—agents and publishers and rejections?
Is it a lack of passion for the subject? Although I thought this was a good idea at one time, does my interest no longer compel me forward?
Is it a sense that there’s not enough meat in the subject as I have presented it? That there are not enough lessons to share with others? Or that I’m not the right person to share them?
Or is it that the Holy Spirit leading me in the writing, is taking me at a slower pace—perhaps so I can learn the lessons more fully myself; accept them at a deeper level and thus share them more passionately and without fear—thus overcoming all those other concerns?
No doubt there are more lessons for me to learn. I am meant, not just to read and understand and share. I am meant to savor the reading. I am meant to savor the understanding. And I am meant to savor the sharing.
There is a time element to the word “savor”; not just a depth of effort. We are not meant to rush through life. Nor are we meant to rush through understanding and sharing.
In all things, God has given us this one and only earthly life and He means us to fully live in it. He means us to savor, not just the beauty and wonder; not just the pleasure and joy; but also the work—and even the burdens he places before us. So that by savoring, we can get the most from each moment He has gifted us with.
Today, the Jewish people celebrate the holy day of Purim, God’s deliverance from Haman’s planned destruction. It is a day to praise God for his hand in our lives today.
And for me, it is a day to remember to savor the lessons I can learn from a beautiful queen who lived several thousand of years ago.
PRAYER: Lord, please help us slow down when you want us to savor something important. Help us learn every lesson you want us to learn. Help us to live fully in each moment you give us today. Amen.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? What do you need to savor today?
35 comments:
Good thoughts, Carol! Have you read "Jewel of Persia"? It's fiction and it weaves around the story of Esther. I enjoyed it and it gave some good insights to how life was back then.
The pause in completing the Bible study Carol is maybe like the days when I don't write... the Holy Spirit has something important in store... maybe your job is just to hold tight in faith... this has been an iterative lesson for me, for sure!
Rejoicing this day, Purim!!
@ Pegg - thanks for the recommendation. I will look up the book.
@ Chris - I'm sure the Holy Spirit definitely has something in store. He usually does...LOL
A great way to start my morning! Here in Eastern Washington the light has begun to color the morning before I leave at 6am to head into work. Your post reminds me to savor those long commutes and the beauty displayed around me. To relish the way God's brush inspires my creativity and my peace of heart and mind. I look forward to reading your book, for Ruth and Esther are my favorite ladies. :)
@ Nona - thank you for the visual painting of your morning. And thank you for the encouragement on Esther.
Interesting post. As writers I think, first and foremost, we savor the well-turned phrase, the just right word, the perfect comeback in dialog, etc.
In regards to your book: I'm learning that, like every endeavor in life, we always gain more than we give. When I complained to my spiritual advisor about the slow pace of getting an agent, rounds of submission and so on, he said, "Perhaps your research for these books is as much for your benefit as for the reader's."
Peace and Blessings
@ E.G. - I agree. God intends for us to learn (and savor) everything we do. Great point.
I can totally relate to your comment, "Although I thought this was a good idea at one time, does my interest no longer compel me forward?" I, too, wonder after I've completed a work if it's good enough or if there is still more I need to do.
When I have those doubts, my husband has to remind me that I need to do my best and let God do the rest. That doesn't mean that I sit and do nothing. I do the necessary steps, but God is responsible for the results. In the end I am doing it all for His glory.
I've been savoring long enough. I feel God giving me the nudge.
The Bible study I co-lead with a friend is going through a series on biblical women, starting with Ruth and Esther. These are both great stories of love and redemption, and how God can save souls and nations who turn to him. I'd love to have seen the look on Haman's face when Esther accused him of attempted murder. Classic!
Thank you for a great post.
~ VT
Ooo...Carol, I am savoring your savoring post! Great thoughts. Your book sounds interesting. I look forward to hearing more about it. May the Lord bless you as you write it...at whatever the pace may be!
Esther, an account to be savoured, good post
@ Christine - your husband is wise. We simply need to be obedient and do our best. Thanks for the comment.
@ Pam - glad to hear you're feeling the nudge! Enjoy the ride.
@ VT - Yes, God certainly uses regular folks like us. I love that!
@ Lynn - Thank you. The Lord has already blessed me through the writing process. And I know there's more to come. :-)
@ Jack - thank you!
Very nice! I love your thoughts about the Holy Spirit teaching us and moving us quietly and slowly. Thank you.
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful story.
@ SandiGrace and Debra Ann - thank you so much for your kind words of encouragement.
This was a very interesting take on the theme!
Wonderful post and wonderful thoughts reminding us that the Holy Spirit uses the writing process to teach us lessons too - there are purposes in the successes and the detours/delays.
Great job on your post today. I think God will direct you on the path to finish writing your Bible Study if it is meant to be. As you said, maybe He is taking you slower than you expected because he really wants you to learn the lessons you are trying to convey to your readers. I like how you laid out the word savor for our toopic this month.
@ Traci, Bill and Kristena - thank you so much for your encouraging comments. God sure does have a plan, even if we can't always figure it out.
I Loved your post Carol, spoken straight from the heart. I have struggled in the topics I choose to write about, the very same fears you mentioned. Here's my turning point - our desires to honor God are not our desires- the Lord has placed them there, we are walking in faith pursuing that thought-so my encouragement to you is -cast off those fears! Trust the Lord will bring together the publisher and know whatever you say - someone needs to hear it. Love you sweet sister - praying for your completion day... aka Victory day! That is what I call the day I set down my pen.
@ Terri - what an encouragement. Thank you for your thoughts. Victory Day, indeed!
Esther is a great book that gets little play.
I love it when Mordecai says, "who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" That always gets to me that I should be using everything including my position to advance God's agenda.
@ Mike - I love that, too. In fact, God took away my former life verse and gave me that one last year. Am trying hard to live it. Thanks for the comment.
Terrific post, Carol. My Sunday school class finished a Beth Moore study on Esther not too long ago, and while we gained a number of wonderful insights from it, we didn't cover the idea of Esther giving Xerxes time during the two banquets to savor his time with her and see what he'd be missing if Haman's plans were allowed to continue. That's a great thought, and I'll have to mention it to my class next week before we get into our lesson.
If the other ideas you're presenting in your book are anything like that, you definitely need to get that study out to the public as soon as God allows.
I think you just helped to make sense of the story of Esther for me. When I've read through that part of the story in the past I've been saying "C'mon Esther, just get on with it and tell the King what you have to tel him." Your explanation makes good sense.
I can understand God wanting you to fully savour the words as you study the Bible, wanting you to learn all the lessons. I think too often we treat the Bible like "fast food", taking a quick bit on our way out the door - instead of savouring it.
@ Traci B - thanks for your comments. And thank you for the heads up on Beth Moore's study. I definitely need to look into what other studies cover. I've only done research on Amazon. Perhaps God wants me to go through a few other studies in my writing prep for this. Hmmm...
@ Adam - Thanks so much for your comments. I agree that sometimes we zip through scripture too quickly. Loved your analogy to "fast food." Of course to a starving person, even "fast food" can be life saving, right?
To savor, to drink in slowly, deeply, absorbing the very fabric of life -- LOVE this post, Carol, especially these words: "I am meant to savor the reading. I am meant to savor the understanding. And I am meant to savor the sharing." Oh, to simply savor and then pour out. Beautiful!
@ Cindee - thank you. God means us to get the very most out of everything we do--even the hard stuff; which correlates with how he can make something good out of even bad stuff.
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