to the church congregation Sunday morning; this is what I said. One of the
girls that served with me that month got up and spoke on the story of Esther
before I shared. I hope this encourage you as it has encouraged me!
In light of the story of Esther, what does it mean for us
today?
Why
could Esther live a life so focused and free from fear, a life so devoted to
her people? Why could Paul live a life so sold out and zealous for the gospel,
and why could Mary sit at Jesus feet and soak in all he had to say? Because they
new the reality that The God they served was real and working in them. The God
these characters in scripture was a God who I alive and active, moving and
showing Himself strong in their lives. Their God not only saved them from their
sin and from eternity in hell, but He
saved them from a life wasted. He opened their eyes to see how He was moving
and breathing life into their bodies daily. Not only was God a living and
active but he was a good God.
Esther,
Shadrack, Meshack, Abednego , and Paul in the face of suffering and potential death
stood strong and moved forward because the God they served was strong, alive,
and so good.
We serve
the same God, The God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The God we serve is not carved out of stone
or wood. He is living and moving in and through us. The same God who used
Esther to save her entire people group from certain death is the same God who
lives in you and me. The same God who parted the Red Sea, who provided manna
for the Israelites in the wilderness, who healed the blind, raised the dead and
saved a broken sinful people, conquering death once and for all on the cross,
lives inside you and me.
Oh how
our lives would be different if we could only understand this one truth. God is
alive and He is good. If we really believe that God was good and trustworthy,
and always doing what was best, how different would our lives look? It would
free us to say things like Esther said. “If
I perish I perish.” It would free us up to say things like Shadrack, Meshack,
and Abendego said when faced with the choice of bowing down to an idol of
facing death by fire. “Our God can save us but even if He doesn’t we will not
bow down.”
They
said these things because they truly believed that God was good and if His plan
was for them to perish then that was best. If we understood this it would free us up to
live radical, crazy, passion filled lives. If we truly trusted that God is in
control, faithful, and good oh how this would change our prayers. We would no
longer pray selfish prayers but we would pray passionate, Christ centered
prayers trusting that God was going to move in His will for my best.
My Prayers are different in light of this revelation. I now
believe that God is moving in my life for my good and His glory. Esther lived a
radical, passionate life trusting in the goodness of the living God she served.
That is what God is calling us to do. He is calling us to radically trust His
plans and His ways and walk in them with complete faith and confidence in His
hand. It is not about us or about Esther or about Paul, it is about Christ and
how He is moving and working. He is calling us step out into things that are hard
and scary and exciting for His name sake, and for the salvation of the lost. He
is calling us to these things for the glory of His great name.
