The Big Issues

​The Big Issues
Read Esther 1-4
 
Esther 1:1 These events happened in the days of King Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia…11 (Esther said) “All the king’s officials and even the people in the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter. And the king has not called for me to come to him for thirty days.”…13 Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. 14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”
 
LET’S consider issues that confront us. Some are little and quickly disappear. Others loom large to threaten our peace and cause great fear. How do we respond?  
   The power of God’s Word is displayed in the real ways it teaches us to live a real life. No, the Bible doesn’t teach about living the easy life. But the Living Word calls us to commit to truth. This is the power of Esther’s story.
   We enter into the life of a simple young girl God used to demonstrate his gracious, powerful and unrelenting presence with his people in Persia. Esther was an orphan, raised by her uncle Mordecai. He was a learned man. Mordecai was a faithful man. He was purposeful to teach Esther who she is.
   She was a Jew. She was one of God’s chosen people. She was unique in her beauty. God used those traits to make her queen in Xerxes’ court. Then a deadly decree confronted her with life-changing choice. Her people – all the Jews – were to be killed. The only way to stop this was to turn from her fear and turn to face the most powerful man in the world. The whim of the king could destroy her.
   At first, Esther did as any of us would do. She wavered. But she then did what few of us would do. She stared back into the fear. Esther could do this because she turned face God. Esther believed God’s promises and believed in God’s power to do his will. She fasted and prayed to prepare for her task. She called other Jews in Susa to fast and pray for her. Esther humbled her heart, submitted to God and turned from fear to seek God’s face. That’s what God’s followers do.
   In turn, God uses people who do that. He used Esther for victory. God honored and blessed Esther to fulfill his will to protect his people in Persia.
   Are you facing fear? Then turn and face God. Let him strengthen you to do what you need to do.