This morning I'm thinking of a beautiful maiden who lived long ago, but I wonder if God might be speaking today to some lovely young ladies that He wants to use in His kingdom? Let's listen to these very challenging verses in the 4th chapter of the book of Esther! "Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thy-self 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."
In our terms today, we might be thinking, WOW!! What a great challenge to the young and beautiful queen --- asking her to be willing to risk her own life to save the lives of her people! It is thrilling to read of how the Lord answered prayer and used Esther to bring deliverance to her people. But it is wonderful that deliverance did not end with Esther, for God has used many other men and women for His glory and the upbuilding of His kingdom!
We think of the Apostle Paul who said -- "What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ." As we think of our nation today, our role in history may not be as strategic and far-reaching as that of Queen Esther or the Apostle Paul, but I believe God does have a ministry of some sort for everyone! Sadly, probably too many "hold their peace" if it comes to taking a vital and dangerous stand for God and His truth, so "enlargement and deliverance" have to come "from another place."
As we begin a new week in these uncertain times, may we have the courage of Queen Esther to be willing to lay down our life; and when we stand before God, may we also be able to say with the Apostle Paul in II Timothy 4:7 -- "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith."