Lent Day 7: Preparing for Purim
Mar 14 in Lent
The festival of Purim will be celebrated this year from sunset 15th March to nightfall on the 16th March; as we draw closer I want to look at the story of Esther on which it is based and look at the way Jews will remember their deliverance from evil Haman, who’s intention was to destroy and annihilate them.
There are four Jewish customs that are followed during this Purim festivity; (1) the reading of the Esther story, (2) giving of gifts to the poor and reaching out to the needy, (3) preparing a family feast meal like the one Queen Esther prepared for King Ahasuerus and (4) sending food portions to friends. For those keeping Lent it is also customary to eat a mini-Easter meal on the six Sundays drawing up to and as we look forward to the Resurrection Sunday , all things that I feel are lovely to do, not because I am obliged to, but because I think it encompasses what God is all about.
Lent prepares our heart for Easter, it is a time of formation, letting the unimportant things fall away that you may redirect and fall in love with God again, drawing closer each day and listening out for that gentle whisper. He is a gentleman and will never force Himself upon anyone, He works with what we give Him but is faithful and all good.
I think of Elijah (1 Kings 19), afraid he ran away from Queen Jezebel (a total opposite to Esther, as women you have a choice to be a life-giver or a life-taker) into the wilderness, he felt defeated. God sent an angel to feed him and sent him to Mount Horeb, travelling 40 days and 40 nights until the Word of the Lord came: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” we then see that it was not in the wind, earthquake or fire that God spoke to him, but in a gentle whisper. He could have easily missed it, needed to be attentive, listening… it was there that God gave him direction for His life, who to find, where to go, what would happen next, encouragement. New batteries, refueled he was ready to go.
As I take this 40 day journey, I pray I will be like Mary (Luke 10:38-42) who stopped and sat at His feet, who chose ‘what is better’ to listen to every Word that He speaks.