Being brave

Esther 4:13-16 – ” Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.”

Esther is one of my favorite stories in the Bible. It was the first recorded beauty pageant, and the thought of a year of spa days makes me swoon! 

But here, Esther is called upon to be one of the bravest women in the nation. Her people are in grave danger. A very angry man has convinced the king to kill all the Jews on a set date. Esther is the only one who can physically intervene for the entire nation of Israel. Esther’s uncle implores her to take a stand. He is confident that if she chooses not to follow through with the request that God will provide from another source, but he knows that if she will submit to God, that the nation will be saved. But Esther has to get way outside of her comfort zone and stand before the king. To do this without being summoned could mean death, but it is a risk Esther is willing to take. 

Now, Esther didn’t just decide this and then march into the king’s court. No, she asked for prayer support. She asked her uncle and the entire city to fast and pray for her for three days. 

Here’s what I want to get out of these verses – 1.  Life requires that you take risks sometimes. Be aware of when those moments come. 2. And when they do come, prayerfully consider them. Don’t just bull rush the situation. Slow down. Get some prayer help. Seek wise counsel. 3. Be brave when facing those risks. You plus God equals an unstoppable force. But don’t let that fact make you prideful. Let it humble you to know that without Him, you are a hot mess. 

I can’t imagine the fear Esther had to overcome in this situation. Her stomach must have been in all sorts of knots while she was awaiting the king’s approval. Yet, she knew that God was with her and she was ready to do whatever He commanded her, even if it meant losing her life. 

How about you? Are you ready to follow God into the great unknown and face your fears and trust in Him alone? Sounds scary, right? Sounds like a daunting tasks that requires a lot of effort. It is. However, God never promised us an easy life full of spa days. But He did promise to walk beside us every day to help us face every challenge and every fear with a power far beyond what we can comprehend.