Day 36: Nehemiah 13:15-Job 7:21 - 90 Day Challenge

Women Can Do Things Too 

A Break from the Patriarchy 

Finally! A woman is mentioned for more than just marrying a man, for more than just convincing her husband to do evil. Finally, a woman is mentioned for her heroism... it only took 421 pages (in my book). 

Our reading started out with some of Nehemiah's final thoughts, then moved on to Esther! King Xerxes's wife had stopped listening to him and he had her banished. While searching for a new wife, summoning all the beautiful women of the land, we stumble upon Esther. 

Esther was a beautiful woman who had been adopted by her uncle, Mordecai. Esther is nice and beautiful, but she and her uncle are both Jews, which Mordecai tells Esther to keep secret. The king marries Esther and she becomes the queen. 

Later, Mordecai uncovers a conspiracy of two governors to assassinate the king, which he passes along to Esther to tell the king, who has the men murdered. Then Haman, an official of the king, decides that he wants to kill all the Jews. Mordecai persuades Esther to help, and to tell the king to put an end to this. Why is this a big deal? Because the last queen was exiled for disobeying Xerxes! She could have been killed! 

Esther comes up with a way to make this request of the king: to save the Jews. He complies and Haman's plan is thwarted! The king also finds out that Mordecai saved him, and asks Haman what he should do to honor a worthy man. Haman (thinking Xerxes is referring to him) says that he should be given highest honors: one of the king's robes, a horse, a parade, and praise throughout the land! Imagine his surprise when Haman is the one leading Mordecai around the city on a horse in one of the kings robes. When the king finds out that Haman is the one who ordered the mass murder of all of Esther's people, he has him killed. 

On To Job!

Just like that, we're in the book of Job! Job was a man who's eyes, who's heart, who's soul were all completely and totally directed towards God. Satan and God are having a conversation (weird, right?) Satan is wandering the earth, reveling in the sin, and God's like, 'Hey, have you checked out Job? Good luck with that guy, he's blameless and completely shuns evil.' and then Satan says, 'Oh, yeah? Watch this.'

Job's livestock had been stolen and raided, meanwhile, his sons and daughters had been killed when the house they were eating in collapsed. Job grieves, but continues to praise the Lord. Then, Job's body is cursed, and he is covered head to toe in painful sores. 

He sits outside for seven days, saying nothing, and his friends come along to join him and comfort him. Job finally speaks, and the last four chapters of today's reading are a back and forth between Job and his friends. Job is feeling down, he feels like he must have done something to disappoint the Lord, but his friends build him up. They remind him of all the good things he has done for others, teaching the word of God, that he's strengthened people, and brought them up out of hard times. Then, we get this reminder from one of Job's friends, Eliphaz: 

We all struggle, we all go through difficult times, but it's important to remember all of the good that's happened as well. We can't dwell on the negativity and neglect the blessings that God has given us, all the small miracles He's bestowed on us. 

I'm looking forward to the reading tomorrow to see how this conversation continues. 

Tomorrow's reading: Job 8:1-Job 24:25

Have a wonderful week!

Jill Jafarace

Director of Student Ministries

New Leaf UMC