DAY 173

DO BOTH

Esther 6, 7 & 8 and Acts 6

The plot of the Book of Esther today comes to a head. Mordecai is honored, Haman is hanged, and the Jews are delivered through a rather clever technique given that the king could not revoke his prior edict.

In all God is faithful. And that axiom is going to be needed for the Apostles as we push more into the Book of Acts. Today seven Deacons are chosen to serve to allow the disciples’ time to pray and preach. Remarkably the first Deacon we read about is not serving at table; rather he is proclaiming the Good News. This all brings me to ponder, “Maybe Stephen was serving at the tables?”

Consider the possibility that Stephen, while he is doing is job, is talking about Jesus. We so often “unionize” the different ministries. The text clearly says seven were selected to serve and help with those in need. Is it possible that Stephen did both? I think it is possible, which folds back into Esther. We read how Esther was a Queen and served God by delivering her people.

These stories seems to lead to a common point – we proclaim God in the place we find ourselves, whether we are Queen or cook.

I realize this is a short blog today, but perhaps I need to ponder how much I might be proclaiming God as I serve him as Dean, Priest, and Pastor.