Do It Afraid

Esther 4:16 (KJV) 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. 

 Queen Esther's story of courage in the face of crisis is one of my very favorites in the Bible. Let's put it simply--she was a gutsy broad.

Although she began her life in Shushan as the niece of a civil servant, her brains, beauty and sweet spirit drew King Ahasuerus to her and Esther became Queen to the ruler of most of Asia and Africa.

God placed Esther in the palace at the precise time she was needed most. Her people, the Jews, were in peril of being exterminated. Even as Queen, however, Esther was not allowed to approach the King on his throne unless she was summoned. If she disobeyed the rule and came into the presence of the King without his bidding, she would be killed.

What should she do? Instead of fretting and worrying all the what-ifs, Esther got busy and made a plan. After praying for God's guidance, she mobilized the Jews for prayer and fasting. Only then, even though she faced certain death and was scared for her life--she approached the King. Every step forward must have felt like an eternity.

I don't want to live my life paralyzed by fear. When God is for us, who can be against us? Let's move forward.

Do it afraid!

***

 Notable Quote:

"Worry never changes things. Prayer does."--Lysa Terkeurst

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Meet Your Neighbor

Image
Note: I wrote this article several months ago for another publication. Although he was born and raised in a small town in New England, Grant Williams has come home to Arkansas City. The admitted baseball fanatic is a devoted husband to the lovely Bernice and father to four grown children, stepfather to three. Williams has traveled the world and worked a multitude of jobs only to settle here after retirement to live the thoughtful life of a poet and author. He speaks humbly of his work, listens closely and watches life unfold around him. And then, he writes. Every day. A large portion of Grant’s poems are about love, particularly his devotion to his wife, but he has penned volumes about sports, family, children, issues and our town. Williams seems to absorb emotion from life and the activity around him, and then processes it into meaningful tomes. “I love to write because I love to read,” the author muses. “Once you have something in print, you have to say, ‘I’m an author.’ You have to
Read more

Summer of Simplicity: Lift Someone Up

Image
  Hebrews 10:23-24 (KJV) Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: In a hurry today? Me, too. With an endless To Do list, I don't know how I'll get it all done. If you're facing this kind of day, week or month, let me suggest something...helping others. When you're lifting someone up, shouldering their burdens, being the hands and feet of Christ, you are fulfilling God's commandments. He is so pleased with your service, our Heavenly Father will send others to lighten your load and may even reorganize your priorities. Life can be exhausting, and there are those who would spend all their time tearing others down, instead of laying a foundation of love. As you encourage those you meet, our Savior will send encouragers in your direction. Slow down and look around. Someone needs a hand up. God's time is unhurried. Why not try
Read more

Bravely Onward

Image
The day I started work at Rainbows United, I took the exit ramp onto K96 and encountered this billboard. Somehow, I felt that God had placed it there just for me. I know that Fidelity Bank in Wichita has a publicity campaign that encourages business owners and citizens to fight back against the perilous economic times we are facing. Our business had closed three months before, and I really needed a job. The billing specialist position at RUI came as a complete surprise. I knew their reputation and jumped in with both feet. Still, I was nervous. Could I do it? Was I strong enough? The billboard is still there, and I ask myself the same question every morning. What will I do? *** Notable Quote: "To go back is nothing but death; to go forward is fear of death, and life everlasting beyond it. I will yet go forward."--John Bunyan
Read more