Think Film

Genre: Historical, Romance, Faith-drama. Award: 2007 CAMIE Award for Luke Goss’ portrayal of King Xerxes.

“A 2006 American historical epic film produced by Matt Crouch and Laurie Crouch of Gener8Xion Entertainment, directed by Michael O. Sajbel, and starring Peter O’Toole, Tiffany Dupont, John Rhys-Davies and Luke Goss.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_ Night_with_the_King

A dramatisation of the biblical story of Esther formerly Hadassa a Jewish commoner among the exiled immigrants living in Susa, Persia

(modern Iran) at the time of King Xerxes, The Great. She finds herself at the centre of Persian political intrigue and crisis when she, though a mysterious set of circumstances, is selected as the New Queen of Persia; in replacement of the recently dethroned Queen Vashti.

To say that the promotion was a ‘hot seat’ would be putting it lightly but with the encouragement of Her insightful and prudent uncle Mordicai and later under the guidance and favour of the chief Enoch in charge of the Royal Harem, she becomes a great success.

That is until undercurrents of hate and revenge against the Jewish people plotted by the kings’ newly appointed and highly favoured ‘Prince Offical’ of the Court [Haman] brings the threat of annihilation of her people to rest squarely on her shoulders.

She battles with the conundrum of being the Queen and yet a subject and she has to process and work out for herself how to best approach the King to save her people, without embarrassing the King before his peers and officials as the previous Queen had done. She had to prudently find a resolution without sealing her own demise and that of her people.

We are fortuitous that this female character of the Bible doesn’t flinch and in the end, she is willing to face even martyrdom to secure Her people’s survival. Interestingly, what strikes the viewer is the delicate marshalling of the King’s Heart and affection that Esther has to perfect; it’s a great power and responsibility he has placed in her hands and she has to figure out how to strike the balance between her Lover and Her Lord in order to be a successful Queen. Also, she has to maintain the King’s favour and not neglect her filial duty to her people and Her devotion to Her God.

Practical Application for Us Today

Queen Esters’ story has left an indelible spiritual lesson and we have the same conundrum to consider and we must also choose. At the pivotal moment, everything was delicately balanced upon the amount of favour that she had won in the king’s heart. He had to be confident that Esther had his heart in mind as much as she was desperate to save her people.

In the end, love won. The film brought out the vulnerability of both lovers in that, their survival on all sides is dictated to by the strict Medo-Persian laws and protocols that are irrevocable once written down. Esther feared God first and sought His guidance in prayer and fasting. He reassured her and delivered her enemies into her hands.

I encourage to you watch the film and allow it to assist you in your own search for the secrets of God’s heart for you and to experience the intimacy that His stretched out sceptre bequeaths you. p

By Angela Slack educator, curriculum/literacy specialist, technical author, editor and publisher

BLACKBERRIES AND YOU

I sometimes felt that I was like The new blackberries on the branches, I’d been so green, hard and yes, bitter But suddenly in the early summer sun I was awakened by you as a tender gentle rain, and a heavy shower awoke in me a misremembered power.

A way to swell and ripen after ‘winter’ chill in the warmth of your care for me. And now I’m full-bodied and sweet ready to pick, to eat, to savour. But be careful, there are prickles and stings from nettles that can cause pain. And sharp, tart, cruel and pungent memories of previous hurts that are hard to fully erase.

So harvest my bounty carefully and wash the mature ripeness clean. Help me to recover from the trauma of being picked so late in life. But far better to be chosen and eaten than to stay on the bush and decay. All my ripe sweetness will drip from your lips and colour them purple. Do not wipe it away-it is my gift to you.