Topic:Missing The Mark
Text: Esther 1:1-12

Every child of God stands the risk of missing the mark. There is no spiritual height from which a man cannot fall. There is no stage in one’s spiritual journey from where one cannot be tempted to backslide. And the devil is very clever in this respect. He doesn’t necessarily use big sins to bring us down. A small sin can easily make us miss our privileges.

Today, we shall focus our attention on three Bible characters who missed the mark and fell from grace to grass. They are Queen Vashti, Gehazi and Judas Iscariot. Vashti had her own palace and plenty of money with which she threw her own parties. While having one of his numerous parties one day, her husband decided to show off the beauty of his queen and sent for Vashti. She refused the king’s summon and this led to her humiliation. Although she woke up as a queen she had, by night, become an ordinary citizen. Vashti was thrown out of the palace.

When God blesses you, you are to remain humble and keep on honouring God with what He has given you. He gave you all that you have and He can take everything in one day. He does not do so because He is not a wicked God, but the truth is that when a tree forgets its root, it dries up and dies. We also have the case of Gehazi in 2 King 5. He was living close to the greatest man in the land: Elisha. Although Gehazi was closest to Elisha he missed the mark. He defrauded Naaman who came to Elisha for healing after Elisha had refused gifts from Naaman. He got the money he wanted but he became a leper. We are all familiar with the story of Judas Iscariot. He had the privilege of being close to Jesus Christ, not only as a disciple but also as His treasurer. However, he loved money than he loved God and his blessing became a curse. He ended up hanging himself. Beware.

There is a very thin line between right and wrong. You don’t need a scandal to go wrong. A little deviation can make you miss the mark. A little slip can make you to fall from a great height. Watch and pray.

Memory Verse: I Peter 5:5 - “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”