2012 for me started in a phenomenal way...I ushered in the year in Chattanooga Tennessee... or The Noog for All my fellow college peeps... The theme was "ONE LIFE": And it was just a wake up call to me and over 5000 others on what this life is meant to be....One session that really stuck with me was about Esther. Yeah the cool lady in the Bible who helped deliver the Israelites from being destroyed by Haman. To many, Esther was a queen who was just lucky to be pretty and be seen by the king... and to others.. well Its the one book in the Bible that doesn't have the name God on it... (if you din't know well now you do). But when we went through the book of Esther I got to see another side that I had never even thought about.
I had read this verses several times before but they had never felt so alive than during this time and season...
Esther: 4:12-16
When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, 13 he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
Quick recap to where this occurs..........> Mordecai and Esther are under King Xerxes, Queen Vashti is de-crowned and the King chooses Esther as new queen. Haman (descendant of Agag...The guy spared by Saul---yeah comes back to haunt them...) decides the Jews do not deserve to live and hence convinces the King to decree that all Jews be destroyed.... Mordecai sends word to Esther to get her help, but she's hesitant....
Ever wonder what you were created for? Why some things happen? reading Esther's story opened my eyes to a whole other view of Christianity, and above all, total trust in God. Esther was an orphan in a foreign land and finally it seemed like things were looking up for her. Then Mordecai decides that she should do the one thing that would possibly cost her her life... if given that choice most of us (I included) would wanna just pretend you din't hear that.I mean its a law that if you approach the king uninvited you get killed...sounds like a pretty good reason to say NO... but listen to what she says.... V16: Go....fast for me ... I will go to the King.... And if i perish I perish. Mordecai reminded Esther of one thing that most of us get twisted too.... God does not need us to accomplish His will... His will always prevails whether it be 1 minute or 100 years... but we can choose to be used by Him or let the opportunity pass us by... V14: For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place.... And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” and when Esther realizes this, she puts her wants and needs down and gives herself.....knowing she could die, but understanding that her God is bigger. She prays and fasts and then declares that "..if i perish, I perish... "
So yeah, life will hand you a lot to deal with (hurts, betrayal, death, torture, fun, love) but all of it is in God's plan...Victories, Failures, Looses and Gains. How you decide to deal with it is your choice.. will you rise above yourself and let God use you to glorify His name or will you let your past cloud your future? Are you willing to say.."Lord use me and if I perish I perish " or is that just too much of a bargain?
food for thought....I pray you choose to give up everything to Him cause you when all is said and done...only His will matters....
Baraka!!!! (Blessings in Swahili) <3
