Hiding--with Excellence

 Hiding--with Excellence

“I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. If I must die for doing it, I will die.”

Esther 4:16b

Esther walked with Mordecai as he made his way to work at the palace in Shushan. Within the palace were treasures beyond this teenager's imagination.

Mordecai, a Jew whose position at the palace placed him at the gate, saw and heard the all the latest news. He heard the news when Queen Vashti was banished by the king. He heard the news when King Xerxes interviewed young virgins. And Mordecai heard the news when Esther, his adopted daughter, was chosen to be the new queen.

One day, Mordecai heard shattering news that Haman, the King’s prime minister, had set a date to kill, all the Jews throughout the provinces of Persia.

He ran to Esther. “You have been chosen for such as time as this”

“But if I go before the king and he refuses me I could die.”

“Isn’t this why God placed you in the palace… to save a nation?”

”I will go before the King, but fast and pray with me and my maids for three days. And if I die…I die.”

Esther was hidden within a palace to change her world. She was not swept away with fame nor was she idle, pompous and demanding. She shone like a star, the meaning of her name, remaining virtuous and pure—excellent. And the king loved her. When he saw his queen he saw a girl who was a beauty because she was sweet and excellent.

Where are you hidden?  Are you hidden in your gym class, or concert band? Does the Lord have you hidden in English class, the football team or the school cafeteria?

“What if my teachers ridicule me? I could go to jail!”

“You have been chosen for such a time as this.”

“I’ll have no friends.”

“Esther was a compassionate courageous teenager who lived 2500 years ago. Shine like a star! Be excellent and save your friends. A nation is on the brink of extinction. Go!”

Dear Lord,

Make me an Esther. I will shine for You!

Have a Great Attitude" But it's Not Fair!

An Excellent Spirit
“Do everything readily and cheerfully - no bickering, no second-guessing allowed.”
Philippians 2:14(MSG)

Joseph lifted the heavy bowl filled with the dirty dish water and poured it out on the grounds at Potiphar’s home.

This is grunt work. Father never made me work like this. I was his shining star  It’s my brothers’ fault. They’re to blame. I’ll tell you one thing, If I ever get out of this prison I’ll make a bee line to Canaan and tell Father what they did to me. Oh, yeah. That’ll be the end of them! I’m living for that day! Just the thought of revenge keeps me going”

Six months before

Rejected by his jealous brothers, a very sad Joseph was taken from the land he loved and sold into slavery in Egypt.  The brothers didn’t like his dreams. Some day he would be a ruler and they would bow to him. Never!

Rejected by his brothers, a very sad Joseph was sold into slavery and taken to a land far away—Egypt. 

                                                      That’s not fair!

But Joseph’s dreams did come true. His brothers bowed, Joseph forgave, and the nation of Israel was saved. How could it be? One word sums it all up. Attitude!

                                                            

                                                    He didn’t get even?

No. Joseph kept his eyes on God and the Bible says that God was with him. He was going to prosper.

Just keep looking at me, Joseph. I’ve got a plan.
 

And that’s what Joseph did. He had troubles galore but His attitude was clean and bright because He looked at Father God! He trusted His heart. 

The day came when Father God opened the door and Joseph sat down on the throne of Egypt second only to Pharaoh. Imagine that!

Could this be your story?  I tell you, this is your story. Not everyone is going to ooh and ah about you and your dreams. You can expect it! Only check—your attitude and look—to God. He is waiting to amaze you!

Dear Lord,
Forgive me when I grumble. My life is yours. I choose to trust you.

I--Can be Excellent?

I—Can be Excellent?

The young man receiving his wedding boutonniere has no idea the wonderful plan God has for his life. Today, he only knows he is marrying the most wonderful girl in the world. Who’s the lucky girl? Why it is I, the author of this post on excellence.  Ha Ha!

This young man is going to traverse valleys and mountains, defeats and victories. He will experience monumental challenges He will humble himself before God asking for help.

This young man knows that God and only God will make him excellent.
He will sit in the trenches and face the enemy. He will lift his eyes to his only Sustainer—Jesus Christ—and tears will fall. But all the while he will allow the Spirit of God to make him excellent. This will not be easy!

Joseph endured betrayal more than once and God took this teenager and made him a ruler. Joseph kept looking at God. Joseph kept striving for excellence.

For seventeen years David, a teenaged boy, was chased by a mad-man king who wanted to kill him. Before the crown was placed upon David’s head God had made him a man of excellence.

You are the precious son or daughter of the Most High. God has great plans for you. He longs to make you excellent, make you great. He’s calling your name.
 Rise up for I see in you a girl, a boy like the young man, like David, like Joseph. 

                                            You are God’s masterpiece!
                                          Created anew in Christ Jesus
                       So that you can do the good things he planned for you long ago!
                                                         Ephesians 2:10

Know this—I write that you may know God loves you. I write because I know God has chosen you to turn this world upside down! He really has!

Dear Lord,
I give my life to you. Please  make me excellent that I may fulfill your purpose. Thank you!

The Young Man - Award Winning Professor

Great People Serve God with Excellence - "It's Just a Little Job--Who cares?

  Greatness in Excellence
                                                                   It’s a Little Job—Who Cares?
 
God had big plans for Joseph. Not something piddly and insignificant. No--he was headed for the big time! People from all over would bow to him, even his family. He was pumped!  But the unthinkable happened. Jealous brothers sold him into slavery, and off Joseph went, bound with ropes to, be a slave in Egypt. He was bought by Potiphar, a mighty officer in Pharaoh’s army.

Joseph looked at his assignment—kitchen worker?

Ugh! I was made for better. This is grunt work. Don’t these people know who I am?
 
Oh, that’s not in the Bible? You mean Joseph had a great attitude? Well, you’re right. He was faithful and excellent with that nothing job.

The Bible says Potiphar saw everything that Joseph did prospered. There was no job too small for him. Every dish he washed, every floor he swept, every table he waxed was done—with excellence! Guess what Potiphar did. He promoted Joseph. He promoted Joseph so much that he was put in charge of everything in Potiphar’s house.

Jesus says it best!

                                “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; 
                                 and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.”
                                                                          Luke 16:10

God has called you to be great! See any little stuff that needs to be done? See a little person that needs a hug? See some garbage that needs taking out? Just do it! Nike’s popular phrase usually implies something big, something grand!

But Jesus doesn’t think like men. He sees the heart. He is watching those who serve with excellence whether a small job or a really big in the spotlight job! In the Master’s eyes there’s no such thing as just a little job.

Dear Lord,
I want to do the little things with excellence, with love—For You!