Esther 8, 9 and 10 reveal a complete reversal of events regarding Mordecai and the Jews. Esther tells the king who Mordecai is and pleads with him that the edict regarding the annihilation of the Jews be revoked. The king agrees. Mordecai is given Haman’s role and rule over his house. Instead of being killed on one particular day they are allowed to seek revenge against their enemies on that day. They will be able to kill their enemies and plunder their property. Mordecai wearing fine robes and a crown posts the decree in the capital city. Everywhere there is a festival among the Jews.

On the day the edict is fulfilled, Jews everywhere destroy their enemies, but contrary to the edict they do not take the plunder. Queen Esther and Mordecai establish that day as a festival day among the Jews. Haman used “Pur” that is casting lots to plan his plot against the Jews. The Jews call the festival “Purim” (the plural of Pur), to remind them what happened to them: how Esther and Mordecai put their lives on the line to save their people.

Surely God was at work in the lives of Moredecai and Esther in saving the Jews from destruction. He gave them the courage to be willing to die in order to save them. God blessed their efforts and set up the events so that the Jews triumphed. We, too, may be asked to go outside our comfort zone to help those in need. As we step out in faith we will be blessed.

In Luke 13 Jesus heals a woman on the Sabbath. When challenged by the religious leaders Jesus reminds them that they would untie their animals so they can get water; likewise, he is unbinding this woman from her illness so she may live. The leaders are shamed by this response. Jesus laments over Jerusalem because of its rejection of him.

Much of the rest of this chapter deals with the kingdom of God and what it takes to become a person of faith. Jesus speaks of the kingdom being like a mustard seed or yeast in dough. It only takes a little to spread throughout. Each action we take or each time we share our faith starts a spreading of the kingdom far beyond anything we can imagine. Jesus speaks about the importance of repentance, a complete change of mind and turning around of living, to become a person of faith. We will not be accepted into the kingdom because of whom we know or where we go to church; we will only be accepted if our hearts have been changed by the message of the gospel.