365 Days of the Great Names of God, Day 223: God of Esther

God of Esther

“Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 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?” (Esther 4:13,14 NIV)

Several years ago, my Bible study sisters and I spent many months in the book of Esther. Eight months, to be exact. We (happily) spent so long there that one of my ladies' granddaughters took to saying, "Are you STILL in Esther?" (Yes, we still were.)

After all that time, if I had to summarize the entire book in one phrase, it would be this: reluctant obedience still counts.

And/or: God is not restricted by our reluctance.

Much as I love a hero like David who charges boldly into battle against a giant armed only with a little bit of ammunition and a lot of faith, I'm so grateful the Divine Author also wrote Esther into His story.

Esther is a leading lady I can relate to. Faced with God's call on her life, she initially balked, stalled, and looked for an out (Esther 4:10,11).

But then, after fasting and praying, she came to the place we all have to get to: the place where we want to be in line with God's will more than we want even our own lives.

At this point on her timeline, Esther took what could be viewed as a fatalistic attitude: "if I die, I die" (Esther 4:16).

Here again, though, we find an example to follow. Dying can look like so many things. In order to live for God, we might have to die to ourselves. (Okay, not "might." We do.) We might have to die to our dreams. We might have to die to our comfort. We might just plain have to die to what we feel like doing.

Facing the very real likelihood of actual physical death, Esther approached the king unbidden—and watched him extend his scepter of mercy (Esther 5:2). Whatever reluctance had been behind her, the queen's obedience lay before her and with it "for such a time as this," the salvation of her people.

"This" is "such a time" for us, too. What is God asking us to do in it, with it? Reluctant though we may be, may we take that step forward toward the King who bids us come, then watch Him extend His scepter of mercy and see the salvation to follow.

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God, thank You that You are not restricted by my reluctance. Show me the step of faith You want me to take. Help me to take it bravely if not boldly, with faith that "this" is always the time when you bless obedience.

(Song suggestion: "Born For This;" Mandisa; from "Music Inspired by The Story;" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZvZWUZFevI.)