The God of Reverse....and Living Like the Doolittles

Our week began by welcoming a big fuzzy new puppy, (well, she's almost 2) into our lives late Sunday night.  Of course because it was so late when everyone arrived and we were all so tired, we let her in the house......that was our first big mistake.  We couldn't leave her in the shop with her soon-to-be-husband, as we didn't have separate living accommodations for them yet.  Another big mistake. She slept through the night like a well-trained dog in our mudroom, not a peep.

I came down stairs the next morning to a dog that knows how to hug.  I'm not joking.  She doesn't jump up on you like she's excited.  She slowly walks up to you, puts her paws gently on your shoulders and leans in for you to wrap your arms around her.  I've never experienced a dog hug before, but it is the most amazing thing!  She is trying to tell you how much she loves you!  By the second day, we realized we'd been hoodwinked by a new dog into keeping her inside.  I can't believe it!  Never, in a million years, did I think I would be one of those people who keep huge dogs INDOORS!  Yet, here I am, with a dog at my feet, quite happy to have her near me.

Our kids are in heaven.  We went on a field trip and were away from the house for just a few hours and all they talked about was how much they would miss the dog.  Again, how can a dog have so much power over a family in such a short amount of time?!  So you can see, we're hooked on this new member of the family.  Puppies will come shortly, I'm sure...

Any of my "neat freak" friends will no longer enjoy coming over though...It is like Dr. Doolittle's house over here.  We've got two crazy kittens running around, one giant dog, all sorts of fish, a lizard, a tarantula....why not just let a cow, a horse, a chicken or even a zebra move in?  Yesterday we found a dead mouse behind our couch.....what next?!  I've given up my desire for spotless hygienic home....as if it is even possible now.

Meanwhile, I read the most amazing verse a day or two ago from the book of Esther.  Esther had found herself in the position of power as the king's new favourite wife.  But Haman, without knowing it, had sealed her fate and the fate of the Jewish people by having the king sign an edict saying that they should be annihilated.  This included Esther.  She told Mordecai to pray and fast for three days and that she and her servant girls would also pray and fast.  What happens next is amazing.

I've often used the story of Esther as an amazing example of fasting.  As a result of her fasting, she gets a plan, but, it turns out, many other amazing things happen as well.  It was only upon reading it again that I made the connection to fasting and praying.

After her 3 days of fasting she decides to have the king and Haman over for a meal.  This is the first answer to her prayer - she gets a plan.  Secondly, she is not killed when she approaches the king.  He holds out the royal scepter to her, when normally, she would have been killed for approaching without being called. She doesn't reveal the wickedness of Haman at this first meal, she waits until she has them over again.  Thirdly, the night of the first banquet, the king goes to bed, but cannot sleep.  As a result of not being able to sleep he has his servants read the book of deeds which reveals the fact that Mordecai was never rewarded for saving the king's life.  To me, this is not coincidence, but a direct result of the praying and fasting. Why, of all nights, is the king unable to sleep?  Could it be because the Lord kept him awake?  So that he would read the book of deeds?  So that Mordecai would be honoured?

Fourthly, at the next banquet, the following night, she reveals the plan Haman made for killing all the Jews.  As a result, Haman is hung on the very gallows he made for Mordecai.  Fifthly, Mordecai is then placed in a position of honour.  After this, the Jews are still in trouble because the edict cannot be changed; it was "written in the name of the king and sealed with the king's ring".  Sixthly, because Mordecai was now in a position of power, he was able to add another edict in the king's name which allowed the Jews to defend themselves!  Amazing.

Next, seventhly (is that a word?), because they were able to defend themselves....and here is my new favourite verse......"on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, THE REVERSE OCCURRED:  the Jews gained mastery over those who hated them."  (Esther 9:1b)  What a great verse - the reverse occurred.  What everyone expected to happen, didn't.  When everyone hoped and thought the Jews would go down, they, instead, were victorious.

I believe this is all a direct result from praying and fasting.  I counted seven answers to prayer.  This is such a powerful book in the Bible to demonstrate the power of God and how He answers the prayers and cries of His people.  I think the main thing I love the most in this story is how God reverses the situation for the Jews.  He doesn't just save them, He totally turns the situation around.  I believe that is what prayer and fasting can do.  I've seen it in my own life, in my own prayers.  Times of desperation, where we've needed God to reverse our situation, we've prayed, we've fasted and sure enough, just like in chapter 9, God has reversed our situation and has saved us from being destroyed and made us victorious.  I can actually say when times get desperate now, I don't panic the way I used to.  I simply get on my knees, with praying and fasting, and I thank Him now, for the opportunity to reverse our situation.

I've read Esther many times and have always loved the story.  I used to read it thinking how great it was that Haman's wickedness was revealed, as if the story ended there.  This time, I started to read it realizing many more things happened in the story that I had never seen as answers to prayer.  This is often what happens in my own life.  I pray.  Things happen, but I never make the connections that God is answering my prayers.  Only upon reflection am I able to see the answers.  Rereading the book of Esther, I saw all the other answers to prayer that I normally have missed.  Like I said,  I am convinced they were a direct result of all those people praying and fasting as a nation.  What if all of our families would do this?  I think we would see great reversals in our lives and in the lives of others if we did this.  What a powerful way to live.  Our God is the God of Reverse!