Esther 9:18-10:3
“The Jews throughout the realm agreed to inaugurate this tradition and to pass it on to their descendants and to all who became Jews.” (Esther 9:27, NLT)
Holidays are fascinating things. We don’t always know all the circumstances surrounding their origin. And yet people celebrate them year by year. They have a powerful effect of bringing to our remembrance something significant in the past.
When God granted to the Jews a great victory over their enemies, Mordecai wanted to commemorate this event annually so that everyone would be reminded of what happened. Not only would it help future generations of Jews to remember how God delivered them, but it would also be a sign to neighboring Gentiles of what happened to those who tried to destroy God’s chosen people. Jews continue to celebrate Purim (lots) to the present day, and children dress up to enact the drama.
It is important to make memorials. My wife is always reminding me to take pictures. I tend to just go through life enjoying the moment. But Cindy is always thinking ahead, wanting to capture these moments for the future. Later she posts photo collages on social media to share them with others.
We don’t always realize that these “memorial moments” are happening at the time, but God is doing things worthy of remembrance every day. Even in days of sorrow Jeremiah found things worth celebrating.
“The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!’” (Lamentations 3:22–24, NLT)
Our son and daughter-in-love are masters at making memorials. They even have their own YouTube channel where they capture everyday moments and make them into art. Today they fly to New Orleans to meet many of the friends they have met online who faithfully watch their videos. This has also given them a wonderful opportunity to share their faith and values.
So what is God doing right now in your life and in the lives of your loved ones? I believe in journaling to help us capture the significance and understand the larger rhythms of life. And I’m trying to remember to take more pictures! Life is happening! Let’s capture it and turn the mundane into memorials to share with others and to pass on to our children and grandchildren!