Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor. So the Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun, doing what Mordecai had written to them. For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur (that is, the lot) for their ruin and destruction. But when the plot came to the king’s attention, he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head, and that he and his sons should be impaled on poles. (Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur.) Because of everything written in this letter and because of what they had seen and what had happened to them, the Jews took it on themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should without fail observe these two days every year, in the way prescribed and at the time appointed. These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews—nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants. So Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim. And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of Xerxes’ kingdom—words of goodwill and assurance— to establish these days of Purim at their designated times, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had decreed for them, and as they had established for themselves and their descendants in regard to their times of fasting and lamentation. Esther’s decree confirmed these regulations about Purim, and it was written down in the records.

We recently finished serving 440 meals to sheriff’s deputies, police officers, and correction officers on Christmas Day 2023. Through our non-profit, Back the Blue Idaho, we raised over $7,000 and assembled 70+ volunteers for this feat. We do this to show our appreciation to these officers one day a year, we serve in remembrance of the 365 days during the year they protect and serve us. In a lot of ways, it is a celebration of their work for us. It is also strategically placed on Christmas Day.

Why? First, when I, my family, and friends started this tradition seven years ago, it was to honor the Savior who came to earth to die for us. It was a way to sacrifice in a small way, that gave honor to his amazingly sacrificial gift of life to us through his death on a cross. And God grew this ministry from one police department and 14 or so volunteers serving 68 officers … to over 70 volunteers and the officers in six departments and a couple of correctional facilities (440 officers) at five different locations. It is a tradition that my family and our friends and their families celebrate, alongside the fun, food, and gifts of Christmas. It is a tradition that helps us celebrate the spirit of Christmas. And it helps us recognize and celebrate God’s provision for us, first and foremost through his Son Jesus, and second, by honoring those who serve to keep the peace.

The Jews here also did something smart, they set up an annual tradition to celebrate God’s faithfulness to them in rescuing them from the evil hand of Haman. The lot that was thrown to determine the day that Haman had set to annihilate the Jews, and the lot was called the “pur”. So they twisted the term and made a feast out of it, called Purim, where they celebrated their deliverance and Haman’s defeat. This feast is still celebrated to this day. (My sister tells me she has been to a celebration of this feast, and every time Haman’s name is mentioned, they “boo” and “hiss”.)

How do we remember God’s past faithfulness to us today? As Christians we celebrate Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter. We celebrate outwardly with feasts and parties. How do we celebrate the spirit of the holidays? Something for me to give some thought to, for sure.

Lord, help me to be more active in celebrating your faithfulness in life. Teach me to increase my “markers”, or planned celebrations of it. May I pass these stories of your faithfulness on to my children. As the faithful of old, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob set up altars to mark your faithfulness and love, help me to set up markers too!