After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus subsided, he remembered Vashti, what she had done, and what had been decreed against her. (Esther 2: 1, NKJV).
Heavenly Father, please teach us not to be hasty in our reactions. May we allow you to make our wrath “subside” and Your justice overrule all our decisions. We pray this in the Holy Name of Jesus the Christ and for His sake. Amen.
Have you ever said or done something and then regretted it? Have you wished you could go back to a moment in time and “fix” the damage caused by a rash decision or reaction on your part? I have. Not once, but several times. Sad to say, we all know that this is an exercise in futility.
From the sound of our text for today, it seems that king Ahasuerus was going through one of these moments of regret and wishing he could turn back the clock. He was probably thinking, “I should never have sent for Vashti. I know that she is very reserved and would not appreciate to be put on display.” Or, “Why did I listen to those counselors?”
It is too late for second thoughts now. Queen Vashti has been displaced. A new queen must be selected. It was emotionally costly for the king. It is obvious that he loved Vashti. The Word records, “he remembered Vashti . . . and what had been decreed against her.” There is no mention of him feeling justified in the decision he had made.
His decision cost him his queen. But in a matter of life and death, it could have cost him his life! The plus side to this story is that nowhere do we find the king blaming others for the negative results of his decision. They advised him, but it was he who made the decision. Now he had to live with the results.
Acting impulsively is not wise. But who we choose as our counselor should also be given careful and prayerful consideration. King Ahasuerus listened to the persons he considered the best equipped to advise him in such a situation. But their advice obviously did not work for him. Their advise did not bring about the results he desired.
Certain decisions should not be made without prayer. Prayer tends to calm us and give us time to reflect before acting. So the next time you are angry remember the words of Scripture, “Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah” (Psalm 4: 4). Amen!