Hear Mordecai’s prayer and repent.
He is not praying for anything concerning his own spirituality, his own spiritual growth, or anything concerning himself, except that the Lord remember His Mercy.
Any true Prophet prays this way: first, that the words and promises of the Lord are recalled to God; second (maybe), a repentance of sorts; and third, a “Lord, you better keep Your promise”.
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel all pray in this manner. They do not sit a make a torture out of praying, trying to recount the many things God’s people have done, or, more to the point, failed to do. The Prophets sit and pray to and about God, Who He is, what He has done, and what He has said and promised.
For the chief and most important thing in any confession, prayer, or tribulation is to get to the Gospel; to get to the Absolution. For it is there that we find God meeting man and bringing heaven down to earth. In the forgiveness of sins, Jesus is made manifest for the sinner.
Really, what is it to the Lord if Israel is not saved? What does it matter if the foes of God’s people annihilate them? Of what significance is the inheritance or the mouths of those that praise God? God can simply raise up people from the ground.
He can make new people that praise Him, as He did with Adam. He can create a new inheritance and an Israel that does not chase after other gods. As the unbeliever is wont to say, “What makes you any more special than me?”
The answer is nothing. Nothing makes any of that more special than anything else God has created. This is what the Old Testament aims at: that God created all things and He can uncreate all things and it would matter not. So, why waste time trying to look good in front of Him?
If the Lord remembered every sin, no one could stand before Him. However, with Him is forgiveness (Ps.130), that is, Absolution. The Lord forgives the iniquity of sin (Ps.32), because “the Son of man came to serve”.
Nothing makes any of you or anything else in here any more special than anyone or thing else, except that it is in Christ and that Christ comes to serve you through them. The Lord’s people are not special except that they have the Name of Jesus upon them. The Lord’s inheritance is special, because it is the true and only begotten Son of God.
Thus, the Divine Service and any prayer of the Christian rushes quickly to the Promise of Forgiveness in Christ, for it is only there that any thing makes sense. Once we hear that Jesus has come to die on the cross and rise again three days later, we are sure and certain that God has nothing but grace, mercy, and love planned for us.
Once Mordecai knows that the Lord keeps His promise, that being the promise of the Messiah, he can then pray. He can pray in such a manner where not even his sin or the sins of the people matter. Only what the Lord has done through His Christ.
Jesus did not come to be served. He did not appear in the flesh, in order that the whole world bow to His almighty power and wisdom. He came that we may have life and have it abundantly. Jesus came so even though sin, death, and the devil crowd out holiness, life, and the Word of God, that the Gospel would shine brightly because of His sacrifice on the cross.
Jesus came so that His absolution would be the final word in any matter. Christ died for you; you are saved.
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