I hope your soul is strong and vibrant. I talked to Anna Aseltine on the phone last Tuesday as I was driving around. Let me just say, I she think she charged up my iPhone with her electricity and zeal for the Lord. And she charged me up too. I felt a fresh current shocking me out of lethargy and self-focus so I could minister to the rattled and confused like she’s doing. Thank you, Anna!
A Hidden Star Finally Shines
I’ve been swimming in Esther books (and even some movies) to get the significance of this intriguing story about a heroic woman and her remarkable uncle. Wow! It’s a festival of “light…gladness and joy” for the reader (Est. 8:16).
I had never spent much in “The Scroll” (that’s what the Jews call the book of Esther) but it’s richer than King Ahasuerus in drama, wisdom, humor, reversals and lessons for “such a time as this” (4:14), and for such a people as us. I hope you come to worship Esther’s God and be encouraged by her example.
Our heroine’s Babylonian name, “Esther,” means “star.” However, in one of the many mysteries of the book, this name, when translated into Hebrew means “hidden.” Indeed, she concealed her Jewish identity until a key time when she risked everything by revealing it.
At the end of Esther, the two heroes establish a holiday called “Purim” for Jews to keep each year — two days of “feasting and gladness” (Esther 2:22). The name “Purim” comes from the word in Hebrew meaning “lots.” Think of dice. I’ll tell you more on Sunday.
Celebrating Purim this Sunday with Gifts to Our Struggling Neighbors
If we didn’t have COVID, I’d try to organize our own Purim celebration with a potluck and laughter. But I don’t think now’s the time for a big group gathering. But the Bible also says that Purim is a holiday “for sending gifts of food…to the poor” (Est. 9:22). We can still do that through Shepherd’s Table.
So let’s celebrate that way. Here’s what we invite you to bring this Sunday to the Welcome Table:
- flour
- sugar
- corn meal
- pasta
- noodles
- rice
- oatmeal
- chicken broth
- vegetable broth
- macaroni and cheese
- cans of soup
- cans of beans
- cans of stew
- cans of chili
- cans of tomatoes
- cans of tomato sauce
- pasta sauce
- mild salsa
- apple sauce
- fruit cups
- cans of fruit
- popcorn
- cookies
- cake mixes
- brownie mixes
- cereal
- toilet paper
- cereal
- gift cards.
For more information, please contact Tim Gildersleeve via email at ShepherdsTable@ValleyChurch.org, or phone message him at (650) 383-8097, and he will respond as quickly as possible.
Two fireballs, twenty-five apart
Here’s another little teaser for Sunday as we explore Chapter 20 of The Story. On two occasions — and twenty-five years apart – while I was driving at night near the California-Oregon border, I experienced fireballs. The first time was 1996; I witnessed a literal fireball, a meteor that lit up the whole sky as it burned up in our atmosphere. For about two seconds, I could see everything around me like it was daylight. I’m glad I didn’t wreck our car.
The second fireball and its trail of bright sparks created a different kind of illumination. It was a revolutionary idea from an audio book that flashed across my mind as Becky and I drove up Hwy. 101 on Monday, Dec. 27, 2021. This fireball illuminated my life and helped me to see my past, present and future in a new light. Its effect will last much longer than two seconds. If I have time on Sunday, I’ll share that story. It relates closely to what I’ve been learning from the Book of Esther.
Because the Eternal One of ethnic and expanded Israel won’t fail (1 Sam. 15:29),
Darren