Week 6 - Day 1 (Timing, Circumstance, Irony, Sleep)

Timing and Circumstance

That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. "What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?” the king asked. “Nothing has been done for him,” his attendants answered. - Esther 6:1-3

I love two of the elements of the situation Beth discusses in this day's lesson.

1) "the timing" - (page 132)

2) "the circumstance" - "The king couldn't sleep." - (page 132)

Mordecai had been the reason King Xerxes had found out about a plot by Bigthana and Teresh against the king and it had been recorded in the annals. However, nothing had been done to recognize Mordecai for it.

King Xerxes didn't just "happen to" realize that Mordecai had been overlooked while reading his book of chronicles the night before Haman was going to tell the king to have Mordecai impaled. That was God's timing.

God hadn't caused Mordecai to get recognition previously because He was planning to keep the king awake to realize it the night someone was conspiring against Mordecai. 

"The Lord took sleep from the king that night." - (page 132)

Irony

There is irony in the fact that Mordecai saved the king from someone conspiring against the king. 

The king would end up saving Mordecai from someone conspiring against Mordecai. 

Sleep

I've been woken up when trying to sleep. It felt like I was supposed to be awake for a reason. I love the following verse because I was unsure why I was awake when I felt awakened at the time, but if/when it happens again, I think it's a great idea to try to remember to say something similar to what is in 1 Samuel 3:9.

So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. - 1 Samuel 3:9

"... what could be more precious to Him than our saying, "Speak, for Your servant is listening"..." - (page 133)

The above is some of what I got out of week 6 - day 1. Feel free to leave a comment below with your thoughts and/or things you took away from this day's lesson. (If you are reading this in your email, you can click HERE and it will take you to this post on the seek Him blog where you can comment.)

Thanks!

Cari