Father in Heaven, again, we thank You for, again, the opportunity of gathering together and to consider the life of this woman named Esther. And we pray that, Father, You would draw near to us even now and that You would help us to take heed to the example that's set before us. And we pray that our time in God's Word would do us good and conform us more and more to the image of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you for each one of these ladies. And we pray that, Father, You would now come and bless our time together as we ask these things in Christ's name. Amen. Well, you can take your Bibles and turn to the third chapter of the book of Esther. Esther chapter 3. In our last session together, we saw that there was something of a dignity that surrounded the life of this woman named Esther. She was a woman who lifted up grace before those that she met. And now we find her as being the one who has been selected as the queen. So now she's living in the palace. She wears royal clothes. She has a crown of royalty to be placed upon her head. Everything seems to be going quite well. And yet, when we come to chapter 3, we learn of a calamity that now will come into her life. Someone pointed out to me that when I titled this, The Miserable Calamity, that that was sort of redundant. There are very few calamities that aren't miserable. But nevertheless, this is still a miserable calamity in the life of Esther. Difficulties and hardships and pains are all part of this life that we live in this fallen world. We've been looking together at Psalm 34 back home in our worship services. And there in Psalm 34, David was sort of sharing with us his own experience after going through a calamity himself. He even mentions in that chapter, Psalm 34, that he sought the Lord and the Lord delivered him from his fears. He goes on further in that chapter and David makes this statement. Many are the afflictions of the righteous. Many are the afflictions of the righteous. And with that statement, we're led to not try to live our lives by not having to pass through calamities, because hardships are going to come. The issue is for us to get through them in a way that is pleasing to God and learn the lessons that God has for us in the midst of going through them. None of us will be exempt from hardship. Job 14 and verse 1, we read, man is born of woman, is short-lived, and full of trouble. We are reminded in that statement that every one of us are born of women, so our lives are frail. We go on to hear that they're also short. But if that wasn't enough, the statement is made, they are full of turmoil. What more needs to be said? Our days are few and full of trouble. And this is a reality we must face. There's all kinds of turmoil in this world. There's the turmoil that comes in the natural world. There's the turmoil that comes in the physical world. There's the turmoil that comes in the emotional world. There's turmoil that comes in the domestic world. In the natural world, there are hurricanes and tornadoes and ice storms and blizzards and floods and droughts and all kinds of things. I had the opportunity just a couple months after the hurricane down in Louisiana to go to Slidell. I've never seen anything like it in my life. It was unbelievable what happened to those people who lived down there. There's turmoils that come in the physical world. Disabilities. Unexpected tragedies and diseases. Announcements concerning one's health. There's turmoils that come in the emotional world. There are people who constantly fight depression and discouragement and disappointment. And even in the domestic world. Homes are shattered. Children rebel. All these things we must face. And you may be sitting here this afternoon and saying, Pastor Walden, that's not my life. Things are going pretty well for me right now. I'm in pretty good shape physically, emotionally, domestically. In fact, I believe I can live the rest of my life, and I believe as I look down, it's pretty clear sailing. I think the path's all clear and everything's going well. May I go back to the statement that we looked at even this morning? Who knows what a day may bring forth. And on more than one occasion, someone sat across from me in my desk and said, I never saw this coming. A month ago, I couldn't imagine that I've got to be making decisions about chemotherapy or radiation. Two weeks ago, I couldn't imagine that I have to deal with a child who's rebelling against the very things that we sought to teach them. Turmoil, calamity are about to come. And they don't come with big announcements. God doesn't come and say, hey, get ready. Because it's coming. I'm going to give you two days. So you brace yourself. It doesn't come that way. It often comes unexpectedly. Here's Esther living in the palace. Married to the king. Things seem to be going well. The orphan girl now wears a crown. Then comes calamity. And we shouldn't be surprised. Notice chapter 3 and verse 1. After these things, the king now has a queen. The queen now lives in the palace. Mordecai has exposed a plot to kill the king. Now, after these things, and the word of God then begins to open up the calamity that Esther needs to face. And so as we open up these passages, chapters 3 and 4 together, I want you to notice a couple of things with me. First of all, notice the commencement of the calamity. The commencement of the calamity. How did it all start? What brought this calamity about? It wasn't a big announcement. It wasn't anything of trumpets blowing, saying it's coming, but we're told something of the commencement in the first six verses. After these events, King Hasherus promoted Haman, the son of Hamidathad, the Agite, and advanced him and established his authority over all the princes who were with him. And all the king's servants who were at the king's gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman. For so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage. And then the king's servants who were at the king's gate said to Mordecai, Why are you transgressing the king's commandments? Now it was, when they had spoken daily to him, he would not listen to them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai's reason would stand fast. For he had told them that he was a Jew. And when Haman saw that Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were. Therefore, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the whole kingdom, of Hashereus. So, what brought about this calamity? Well, it all started with a promotion of this man, Haman. Mordecai saves the king's life and Haman receives a promotion. Life doesn't always seem fair. What in the world did the king see in Haman? Matthew Henry asks that question. He says, I wonder what the king saw in Haman that was so commendable and meritorious. Aren't you sometimes taken back by what other people see in some people, wanting to raise them up? Now, that's a good reminder for us even as we face a political year. Sometimes I scratch my head and say, What in the world do they see in that person? Because I'm not seeing it. How in the world would they ever elect that person? It makes no sense to me. And I step back and say, I must be living in my own world. So when we read here that the king promoted Haman, we may ask the question, what in the world is going on? Haman's not a man of honor or justice. Haman's a man who is proud and revengeful. It doesn't seem fair. It doesn't seem right. But wasn't that the very conflict that the psalmist deals with in Psalm 73? He looks around and it looks as though the ungodly were living lives of ease and everything was going well for them. They seem to be increasing in riches. And he's just puzzled at this providence. Well, that's something of what we see here. Haman's promoted. And with the promotion, comes a status that when he walks into the room, people bow down. And that's what we find here. All the king's servants who were at the king's gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman for the king had commanded it. So Haman walks along, comes along the king's gate, everybody bows down, and one can only imagine how much Haman would have enjoyed that. Thank you, gentlemen. Thank you very much. However, one man stood erect and would not bow. And that was Haman. Haman was a Jew. And for the Jews to bow down to any person or anything on earth was considered idolatry. Command of God was clear. You shall have no other gods before me. And therefore, Mordecai refused to bow down. Who does it remind you of? Daniel, chapter three. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Similar circumstances. The idol had been built. And whenever they heard the instruments play, they were to bow down. Nebuchadnezzar has made this image of gold. And when the instrument sounds, they would all fall on their face before that image. But Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego would not fall down. And they're confronted about that. They're told that they need to do that. Otherwise, they're going to be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire. And Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give an answer concerning this. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire. And He will deliver us out of your hands, O king. But even if He does not, Let it be known to you, O King, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image you have set up." Were these three men just plain stubborn? Was Mordecai simply a stubborn, bitter man? He didn't get the promotion. Haman did. I'm not going to bow down to him. No, Haman was determined not to violate the law of God. And he would not bow down or pay homage to any other creature. And even Mordecai's friends tried to persuade him. I mean, it says here that they daily spoke to him. He would not listen to them. He was determined to do right. And they told Haman, They went to Haman and said, Hey, Mordecai is not bowing down. And the reason he's not bowing down is because he's a Jew. Does that play all right in your book? Is that OK with you? Of course, Mordecai was not happy with that. I mean, Haman was not happy with that. In fact, now he's determined to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai. So that's the commencement. That's how it all started. But notice secondly with me the essence of the calamity. The essence of the calamity. The turmoil that Esther and all the other Jews would now face is given to us here in this passage. We read, even if you go back up to verse 1, You see, Haman was the son of Hamadithah, the Agite. Now you see, that tells us something about why Haman is reacting this way. There's an old grudge. If you go back in history to 1 Samuel chapter 15, you know that Saul has been told to kill the Amalekites, to utterly destroy them, along with all their animals. Now, Saul does that except for the fact that he saves the best sheep as well as King Agag. He spares King Agag's life. And when Samuel finds out about this, He is not happy. And he confronts Saul that he did not do what God had commanded and killed them all. So Saul's confronted with this fact. And then we read that Samuel slew Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal. The Agagite were from the family of Agag. And ever since that day, when that king was killed, the Agites would hold a grudge against the Jews for what they did to their families. They hated the Jews. And Haman, being an Aggite, had been nursing this grudge since the time of his childhood. And then he hears that this one who will not bow down is none other than a Jew. You can only imagine the vengeful spirit that would rise up in this man so that now he is disdained. He holds back from laying hands on Mordecai alone because he wants to plot something so that all the Jews would be destroyed. And so he comes up with this plan. Notice verse 7. We see the substance of the plot. In the first month, which is the month of Nicene, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, pure, that is, the lot was cast before Haman from the day to day and from month to month until the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar. What's he doing? Alright, he wants to see all the Jews destroyed. So he's got to try to figure out what's the best day for this to happen. And so he begins to cast lots. And he's throwing the lots and trying to figure out which is the best day. Sort of superstitious. Maybe the gods will be with us. So I've got to make sure I get the right day. And so the casting of the lots, he begins to try to figure out exactly when he should do it. And the lots fell so that this would all take place on the twelfth of that twelfth month. The year of Adar. Now here's another thing I find fascinating. What month are we in now when this is going on? The first month. Little does Haman realize that God is even controlling the lots. Because instead of having it happen immediately, the Jews would have at least 11 months to prepare and deal with the edict that was going to be set down. Look at verse 8. Then Haman said to King Hasherus, there is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the providences of your kingdom. Their laws are different from those of all the other people, and they do not observe the king's law, so it is not in the king's interest to let them remain. If it is pleasing to the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed. And I will pay a thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who carry out the king's business to put into the king's treasure." There's the plan. We will see. that all the Jews are destroyed. It won't be good for them to be around here. They're different from all the other people. They do not observe the king's law. He's sort of setting things up. King, think about what's really best in the end. Wouldn't it be better for these people to be put away from us? Wouldn't that be best? And so, we read, verse 10, Then the king took his signet ring from his hands, and gave it to Haman, the son of Hamidathah, the Agite, the enemy of the Jews. And the king said to Haman, The silver is yours, and the people also, to do with them as you please. Then the king's scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month. And it was written, just as Haman commanded to the king's satraps, to the governors who were over each providence, and to the princes of each people, each providence according to its script, each people according to its language, being written in the name of King Hasherus and sealed with the king's signet ring. And the letters were sent by carriers to all the king's providence to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to seize their possessions as plunder. A copy of the edict to be issued as law in every providence was published to all the peoples so that they should be ready for this day. And the couriers went out and impaled by the king's command while the decrees was issued in Susa in the capital and while the king and Haman sat down to drink in the city The city of Susa was in confusion. There's the edict. On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, all the Jews were to be, again, it seems redundant, they're to be destroyed. But not only that, let's kill them, but let's go one step further. Let's annihilate them. both young and old, women and children, no ones to be excluded, all the Jews were to die. And then, to make sure that this would come to pass, they would take the king's signet ring and mark his seal upon that edict. which would have great ramifications. Go back over to Esther chapter 1 and verse 19. It talks about another edict that was mentioned. But it says here in 1 and 19, if it pleases the king, let the royal edict be issued by him and let it be written in the laws of the Persians and the media so that it cannot be repealed. And Bishti should come no more into the presence of the King. When it put the King's seal upon it, it could not be repealed. It could not be changed. It was now law. Every Jew destroyed, killed, and annihilated That was the calamity. That was the turmoil that they now find themselves in. But then notice with me, thirdly, the response to the calamity. In chapter 4, we have set before us the responses of Mordecai and Esther to this plot. First of all, we hear about Mordecai's response. Verse 1 of chapter 4, When Mordecai heard that all that had been done, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went down to the city and wailed loudly and bitterly. And when he went as far as the king's gate, for no one was to enter the king's gate clothed in sackcloth, Mordecai responds with grief and horror. He's tearing his clothes. He's bitterly crying. He's fasting. He's in ashes. You see, in the East, sorrow was always expressed verbally and visually. And Mordecai takes on both of those things. He's crying out. What hope do we have? It has the king's signet upon it. It is a sure thing. We are doomed. And now he's crying aloud. And he's weeping. And then in verse 3, We read in each and every providence, where the command and the decree of the King came, there was great mourning among the Jews with fasting and weeping and wailing, and many lay in sathcloths and ashes. It was a very, very difficult time. Then in verse 4 we read, then Esther the maiden and her eunuchs came Then Esther's maidens and her eunuchs came and told her, and the queen withered with great anguish. And she sent garments to clothe Mordecai, that he might remove the sackcloth from him, and he did not accept them. And then Esther summoned Hadash, from the king's eunuchs, whom the king appointed to attend her and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why. In all likelihood, Mordecai went to the gate especially that somehow news might get to Esther. And it does. And Esther finds out that Mordecai's down at the gate wailing and weeping and sackcloth and ashes. And at first, she doesn't know what's going on, so she sends down another set of clothes. You know, don't do that. And then she sends down a messenger to find out what was going on. Why he was this way. So Hadash went out to Mordecai to the city square in front of the king's gates. And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him and the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay the king's treasury for the destruction of the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the text of the Edict, which had been issued in Susay. for their destruction, that he might show Esther and inform her in order for her to go into the king and implore his favor and to plead with him for her people." Mordecai tells this man everything that's going on, and he even says, here's what Esther needs to do. She needs to go before the king. She needs to plead for our people. And this man goes back and relates what Mordecai has said to Esther. And Esther then speaks to Hachash again and orders him to reply to Mordecai. She couldn't pull out her Sprint phone and beep him. Kept sending this messenger back and forth. And so she spoke and ordered him to reply to Mordecai, all the king's servants. And the people of the king's providence know that for any man or woman who comes to the king in the inner court who is not summons, he has but one law, that he be put to death unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he might live. I have not been summonsed to come to the king for some thirty days." Esther says, I can't just go in before the King. You know, the King has one law. If He doesn't summon you, if He doesn't ask for you to come into His presence, and you just show up in His presence, and if He doesn't hold out that golden scepter, you're dead. No questions asked, you're dead. If the King's sitting there and you're standing in front of Him, and He's just having one of those days, and He doesn't really care to talk to you or see you, He just has to sit there. And pretty soon, off you go and you die. And Queen Esther says, I want you to know something. I've not been summons for the king in some 30 days. Now, that would give me an indication and I don't know why. I even wonder, why 30 days? Where have you been, king? What's going on? But if I was in Esther's shoes, I'd begin to wonder, have I done something wrong? Is he not happy with me? Thirty days since he summons for me. And so, I'm thinking, for me just to show up, if something's agitated him about me, it's not looking good. So, Mordecai, I'm not the woman. That's fine deliverance in another place. I'm sure not going to go before the King. And so, Mordecai gets that message. Verse 12, And they related Esther's words to Mordecai. Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther. Do not imagine that you're in the king's palace can escape any more than all the other Jews. First of all, Esther, remember, you're a Jew. Can't change that. Even though you're in the king's palace, does it make you any less a Jew? Don't think that you're going to escape from this edict. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place." Now, that's the language of faith. Mordecai says, listen, I know the Edict says that we're going to be destroyed, killed, and annihilated. Every one of us. But he's never forgot the special relationship that they have with God And therefore, he's even here speaking a language of faith. God will bring about a deliverance. I don't know how it's going to happen. I don't even see any way that it can happen. But God can do this. Esther, if you don't speak up, God will bring a deliverance. But you and your father's house will perish. And then he makes this wonderful statement. And who knows whether you have a paying royalty for such a time as this. Esther, think! God's put you in this place! You're not there by some accident. You're not there because you were lucky. You are not there because of things just happened to fall into place. God's been directing. God's been guiding. God's been working. He's in the field even when He's most invisible working. Don't forget that, Esther. Could it be that God's brought you to that place? For even such a time as this, you may not necessarily see it, you may wonder, but could it be? Could it be? What does Esther do? Esther now sends a message to Mordecai. And she says, go assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa and fast with me. And do not eat or drink for three days and three nights. I and my maidens will also fast in the same way. And thus, I will go into the king which is not according to the law. And if I perish, I perish." So, Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had commanded him. Esther says, I'm going to do this. It takes courage. Tomorrow morning, God willing, we're going to ponder Esther's courage. For those of you who won't be here, courage. is not the absence of fear. Courage is doing what is right, even in the midst of your fears. Esther believes, her language is such that she believes, when I go before the King, and when she says, if I perish, I perish, she's literally saying, I know I'm going to die. There's only one law. And I know this will be my end. Humanly speaking, I say no way out except in doing this, I will die. But it's the right thing to do and I'm going to do it. And you pray. And you fast. And we'll be fasting and praying. And we'll see what God can do. Because the one thing about worshiping our God is He does at times the very unexpected. We will not bow to your image. God will bring a deliverance. And even if He doesn't, we're still not going to bow our knee. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, do you know what happens when you throw men into a blazing fire? They burn up. And so as they're being cast into the fire, a fire so hot that those that are casting them in are falling dead from the heat. Listen, I'm Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. I've got one thought. This is it. But then God sort of intervenes and allows them to stand in a blazing fire without getting burnt anywhere on their bodies. So Esther now comes and says, okay, I'll go. It's going to be my death. But who knows what God might do? She's determined to go. So that's her calamity. That's the commencement of it, the essence of it, and the response to it. Well, again, The story goes on. God does bring a deliverance. And there's great celebration in seeing what God does. But in our time together this afternoon, and as we bring it to a close, I just want to bring home some lessons with regard to calamity, because we're all going to face calamity and turmoil and hardships. And so the first lesson is one that I've already mentioned. and yet I want to remind you of it, you can always be sure of adversity in this world. There's no exemption. No matter how much power or no matter what your position or how much wealth or what your name is, or even if you're determined by the grace of God to be found obedient, that will not exempt you from turmoil. Philippians chapter 1 and verse 29 says, For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake. With Christianity always comes the cross. I know we're living in a time where men are seeking to persuade us that the cross ought not to be. As Christians, we ought not to have hardships and difficulties. But that's not what the Bible says. The Bible makes it clear. We will suffer for His sake. 1 Peter 4, verse 12, Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeals among you, which come upon you for your testing, as though there's some strange thing were happening to you. Don't be surprised by these things. Don't be caught off guard. They're going to come. Who knows what this next week or this next month holds for any of us? Who knows which one of us are going to receive news that we really don't want to hear? Who knows what may happen to one of our loved ones? Who knows what's yet before us as we live in this world? Don't be surprised when you're confronted with turmoil. 1 Thessalonians 3.3, so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we've been destined for this. We've been destined to have affliction and difficulty. Don't be surprised. You can be sure that adversity will come into your life in one form or another. But that leads me to the second lesson. And the second lesson overlaps with what we considered last night. But it's this. Remember where God is in the midst of your adversity. Where is God when you're going through all this? Let me have you turn over to Revelation chapter 4. Let's see what God's doing. Revelation chapter 4. What is God doing as we live here upon this earth and dwell here now? Notice verse 1. And after these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like that of the sound of the trumpet speaking with me and said, Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things. And immediately I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone, and Sardis in appearance, And there was a rainbow around the throne like an emerald in appearance. And around the throne were twenty-four thrones. And upon the throne I saw twenty-four elders sitting clothed with white garments and the golden crowns on their heads. And from the throne proceeded flashings of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. And before the throne there was, as it were, a sea of glass like crystal. And in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes, front and behind." Where do we find God? He's sitting on the throne. He's ruling over all things. Nothing is outside of His rule. The door is open. And John says, I see. And I see Him. And there He sits, ruling and reigning over all things. In the book, The Returning King, the author says, when God's people are beset by temptation or persecution, a revelation of God's character and glory is the best remedy. In the midst of temptation and persecution, a revelation of God's glory. And his character is the best remedy. His power guarantees our victory. His justice guarantees vindication of right. His goodness and magnificence guarantees blessing and comfort. God is still the rule. He controls everything. Dear ladies, I pray that this will be cemented into your hearts. God is in control. He sits upon the throne. God was not looking down at Esther and Mordecai saying, oh, what am I going to do? They're going to kill all my... God's ruling. And all He has to do is simply blow on things and things will change. Well, how can you change an edict that's been signed with the King's signet? How can that change? Leave it to God. He'll provide deliverance. What a blessing to know that. What a great comfort. I don't know how people live in this world without that reality. How they go through the tragedies they go through without realizing, you know what? My God is in control. And I'm going to trust in Him. Far more than a mantelpiece. It's a reality that we ought to believe. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not to your own understanding. I mean, if you had to figure it out, you'd go nuts. But in all your ways, acknowledge Him And He will direct your path. One of the most difficult tasks I ever had to do was when I was called to the emergency room of our local hospital as a chaplain. And when I arrived, the nurses met me and they said, the couple we want you to see is in that room. They just lost their three-day-old baby. Will you go in and talk to them?" And so I walked in, and the mother still held that baby in her arms. And they introduced me to the couple, and they said, this is Pastor Walden. He's one of the chaplains in the hospital. And the man looks at me. He points his finger at my face and says, tell me why. Why did this have to happen? If I had a chance to see your God right now, I would tell Him a few things. See, they had no hope. What was I to say? One of the social workers tried to come to my defense. And she says, oh no, no, no, no. God had nothing to do with this. And I thought, what comfort is that? If you know my God, oh yes, He had something to do with it. He's in control of it. But He knows what He's doing. I can't figure it out. I have no idea. God knows what He's doing. He's sitting on the throne ruling and reigning. And I don't know what may come into your lives. I don't know what some of you may be dealing with even now. But remember, God sits on the throne. And we can trust Him. And the third lesson is that He's bending His ear to hear our cries. He's bending His ear to hear our cries, to listen to His people. Going back to Psalm 34, David says, I sought the Lord and He answered me. He said, this poor man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all of his troubles. David says, and if you know anything about the account, it's not that his circumstances changed any. He was still a wanted man, but he found great comfort in this reality. God hears my cries. He's bent over and he's got his hand cuffed to his ear, and he delights in hearing the cries of his people. Matthew 7 and verse 7, "...ask, it shall be given to you. Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and it will be opened unto you." God wants us to plead with Him. Esther says to them, listen, let's take three days and cry out to God. I see no way that I'm going to live through this. And I see no way that the king's edict is going to be changed. But let's ask God. Let's fast. Let's pray. And let's see what He does. The hymn writer put it, Thou art coming to a king. Large petitions with Thee bring. For His grace and power are such, none can ever ask too much. We can't ask too much of Him who wants to hear us cry and seek Him and recognize our dependence upon Him. I remember Pastor Hughes giving the illustration of being leaving Scotland and coming over to the States. And he'd been here for some time. And he was about ready to go back to Scotland. And going back to Scotland, he was mostly looking forward to seeing the grandkids. Maybe some of you can relate to that. I'm still too young, but maybe some of you can relate to that. He was looking forward to seeing those grandkids. And a couple of days before he was to leave to go back to Scotland, he was on the phone with, I believe it was his granddaughter. And he said to his granddaughter, Grandpa's coming back, coming home. in just a couple days. And I'm looking forward to seeing you." And then he says, what can I bring you back? What would you have me bring you back? And you know, Grandpa's heart, I mean, I'm surprised he didn't say, up to half my kingdom! What can I bring you back? But he opened it. It was a blank check. What do you want, Grandpa, to bring you back? And then he's waiting for the reply. wondering if that grandchild on the other end of the line is thinking, well, let's see here. And all of a sudden the granddaughter says, Grandpa, I want jelly beans. And he said, jelly beans? I give you an open check. I give you a blank check. I open up my pocketbook and what do you want me to read? Jelly beans? Isn't that how we treat God sometimes? Ask and it shall be given. Seek, you will find. Knock, it will be opened unto you. What are you saying? Can we ask maybe for jelly beans? We ought to be pleading, God. Give me help. I'm not sure how I can get through this. I see no answers. I see no relief. Give me the grace. I want to exalt Your name. And He stands ready to hear and delights in hearing from His people. Many are the afflictions of the righteous. They can be big. They can be overwhelming. But our God is still bigger. Let's pray. Again, we thank You for giving us this time. And Father, we pray that You would help us. Maybe there are some who are in the midst of real turmoil in their own lives. They're going through a very difficult period in their life. Oh, may they find You to be their help and may they find You to be their strength. Father, we pray that they would realize that You're still sitting on the throne and in that find great comfort, not to be somehow exempted from the trial, but to get through the trial in that way which most pleases You. And so, Father, we pray that You would take the things that we've considered together this afternoon and again, use them for good. For we ask these things in Christ's name, Amen.