Thursday, May 11, 2006
Star - Bryan Adams
I remember back in 1994 when we were driving in one of the B roads in Scotland. It was dark - and our frens' car behind was taking a while to catch up. Martin stopped the car by the side of the road and we both got out - was it to take a leak? Can't remember. But when we stepped out of the car, we were both silenced in awe. Yes, it was dark - and freezing - but the ENTIRE black sky was covered with stars! Millions of them! Every square cm had stars. It was amazing and surreal.
I love stars! :-)
Van Gogh's Starry Night - i have a reproduction of it back home in M'sia. Brilliant!
Sad to say that these days, one rarely gets to see stars like that anymore - with so much polution in the sky (yes, light polution too!), you'd be fortunate to even get to see Orion's belt!
Why suddenly talk of stars? Well, i've been reading about Esther. I love reading about Esther. It comes in second after Joseph.
I used to be fascinated about Esther when i found out that it was the only book in the Bible which does not mention God expressly! No "Lord", or "God", or "Jesus". Yet, God is working in every part of Esther's life from the start to the end.
Esther is a wonderful lady. i would love to meet her when i go home to be with the Lord. She is amazingly beautiful (Esther 2:7) and at the same time extremely brave. She was willing to risk her life for others - her words were "if i perish, i perish!" (Esther 4:16). She was not just a pretty face too! She was smart. She hatched up a clever plan and chose the appropriate time to request help from the King. And most importantly, she trusted in God!
Wait - how do we know she trusted in God when the whole book does not mention "God" at all? Simple - when she agreed to risk her own life to save her people, what did ask of the rest? Did she ask for moral support? Or that they arm themselves well? Did she ask them to come to her aid if she gets into trouble? Provide back-up? In Esther 4:16, she asks only one thing of her people - that they gather together and fast for her.
So?
Well, if one studies the Bible - esp the OT, one would know that prayer and fasting always go together. People fast when they want to get down to some really serious bout of praying - not be distracted by the preparation of food and cooking of meals.
Esther knew that if she was to be successful, she needed God's help - and she asked that the people prayed for her.
Excellent account! Read it for yourself. Wonderful twists, ironic outcomes, drama and action! Truly, God works for the good of those who love him!
The verse of the book to me has to be when Esther's cousin exhorts her to use inter alia her position as queen to help her people. He said "Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14)
All of us have been placed in different places - and i'm reminded from this that it is by no accident that we end up where we are - in our college, in our school, in our office, in our neighbourhood, in our factory, in our country. There is a reason and a purpose. The commitment required from us - from me - is to rise up and do what he wants us to do when we get the call.
Who knows whether you are where you are now for such a time as this?
Oh, i almost forgot - the name "Esther" basically means "Star". Such an apt name - for someone so beautiful, so strong, someone who shone brightly for his glory!
I love stars! :-)
Van Gogh's Starry Night - i have a reproduction of it back home in M'sia. Brilliant!
Sad to say that these days, one rarely gets to see stars like that anymore - with so much polution in the sky (yes, light polution too!), you'd be fortunate to even get to see Orion's belt!
Why suddenly talk of stars? Well, i've been reading about Esther. I love reading about Esther. It comes in second after Joseph.
I used to be fascinated about Esther when i found out that it was the only book in the Bible which does not mention God expressly! No "Lord", or "God", or "Jesus". Yet, God is working in every part of Esther's life from the start to the end.
Esther is a wonderful lady. i would love to meet her when i go home to be with the Lord. She is amazingly beautiful (Esther 2:7) and at the same time extremely brave. She was willing to risk her life for others - her words were "if i perish, i perish!" (Esther 4:16). She was not just a pretty face too! She was smart. She hatched up a clever plan and chose the appropriate time to request help from the King. And most importantly, she trusted in God!
Wait - how do we know she trusted in God when the whole book does not mention "God" at all? Simple - when she agreed to risk her own life to save her people, what did ask of the rest? Did she ask for moral support? Or that they arm themselves well? Did she ask them to come to her aid if she gets into trouble? Provide back-up? In Esther 4:16, she asks only one thing of her people - that they gather together and fast for her.
So?
Well, if one studies the Bible - esp the OT, one would know that prayer and fasting always go together. People fast when they want to get down to some really serious bout of praying - not be distracted by the preparation of food and cooking of meals.
Esther knew that if she was to be successful, she needed God's help - and she asked that the people prayed for her.
Excellent account! Read it for yourself. Wonderful twists, ironic outcomes, drama and action! Truly, God works for the good of those who love him!
The verse of the book to me has to be when Esther's cousin exhorts her to use inter alia her position as queen to help her people. He said "Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14)
All of us have been placed in different places - and i'm reminded from this that it is by no accident that we end up where we are - in our college, in our school, in our office, in our neighbourhood, in our factory, in our country. There is a reason and a purpose. The commitment required from us - from me - is to rise up and do what he wants us to do when we get the call.
Who knows whether you are where you are now for such a time as this?
Oh, i almost forgot - the name "Esther" basically means "Star". Such an apt name - for someone so beautiful, so strong, someone who shone brightly for his glory!
p/s - pic obtained from here
# posted by imissw : 2:02:00 am
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I believe that Song of Songs does not have direct references to God as well.
# posted by 
: Fri May 12, 06:20:00 am
: Fri May 12, 06:20:00 am
yeah, you are right - not directly. for example, "Rose of Sharon" is mentioned in chp 2 and that is now taken to refer to Jesus, the "Rose of Sharon, Lily of the Valley".
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