But Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage.
– Esther 3:2
What a simple statement of a significant moment when the king had appointed a man named Haman to be leader over all of his officials. And the king decreed that all the officials and all these different people should bow down to Haman. But Mordecai, Esther 3:2 says, did not bow down or pay homage to Haman. Because Mordecai only bows down and pays homage to God.
Esther 3:2 challenges us to risk comfort by taking a stand for Jesus
And as I read this, I think about the costly counter-cultural stand that Mordecai is taking here. And I think about all the different people listening to this podcast right now, different ages, different stages of life, different circumstances, and the opportunities we will have today, tomorrow, and the next day. Each of us to, in small or big ways, take counter-cultural and even costly stands because we are followers of Jesus.
So it may be you’re a student, you’re a teenager and you’re with some friends and you are tempted to do this or that, to say this or that again, could be small things and you are tempted to do that which those around you are doing instead of that which Jesus has called you to do. And you’ll risk isolation, maybe harm to your reputation.
You’ll risk being uncomfortable again, could be small things, but to take a stand for Jesus in that moment and to do what Jesus would call you to do instead of what the world around you is doing. I think about others who are in jobs who you face daily pressure to compromise your faith. You will have opportunities today, tomorrow, this week in the coming days to take a stand with your faith in your workplace or to compromise. And it might even involve your job on the line.
Esther 3:2 encourages us to faith, courage and boldness for the sake of Christ.
And I just want to pray over every different circumstance that each of us will find ourselves in or the course of this day, the next day and the coming days, that we would have faith, courage, wisdom, boldness, and surrender to do whatever Jesus calls us to do in that moment, to follow him and not the ways of this world to trust in him with our lives, with our reputation, with our work, with our future, just like Mordecai did in Esther 3.
So God, we pray for this. We pray that you would help us, each of us in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, to be courageous with our faith by the power of your Holy Spirit in us. Help us to follow you Lord Jesus boldly, counter-culturally. God, help us not to bow down to the idols of this world in any way. Help us to follow you faithfully, we pray.
And I just pray for every circumstance that we will find ourselves in today and in the coming days where we have opportunities to take a stand for you, Jesus, to speak the gospel, to stand on the gospel, to live out your word in this world. God, help us to do so faithfully we pray. And God, we know this is the only way that people around us and the nations will ultimately be reached with the good news of your grace through your people. Taking costly counter-cultural stands, making costly counter-cultural decisions to spread your gospel even when it costs.
Prayer for the Tai Lue People
God, we pray for the spread of the gospel to all the peoples of the world through Mordecais today, taking stands and doing what you call them to do. We pray for the Tai Lue people of Thailand, China, Vietnam and Laos. We pray for the spread of the gospel to them no matter what it costs. And whoever you call to go to the Tai Lue people, oh God, help us all to stand in the line today of Mordecai and not bow down to any idols in this world, to any people in this world. Things in this world, but to follow you faithfully, to worship you alone, no matter what it costs us in the culture around us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
