Series: God Is Here [#5]
TIMING IS EVERYTHING
Esther 5:1-14
Introduction:
Two different times in the last month, I have almost been in a car accident. Each time, I was the passenger in a school vehicle. As I think back on both situations, if the driver of the school vehicle would have reacted just a little sooner or just a little later we would have been hit and most likely hurt. While I applaud the drivers, it is God who protected us. The timing was perfect. As many of you have said or heard before, “Timing is everything”.
Esther 5:1-8 (MSG)
“Three days later Esther dressed in her royal robes and took up a position in the inner court of the palace in front of the king's throne room. The king was on his throne facing the entrance. When he noticed Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased to see her; the king extended the gold scepter in his hand. Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. The king asked, "And what's your desire, Queen Esther? What do you want? Ask and it's yours--even if it's half my kingdom!" "If it please the king," said Esther, "let the king come with Haman to a dinner I've prepared for him." "Get Haman at once," said the king, "so we can go to dinner with Esther." So the king and Haman joined Esther at the dinner she had arranged. As they were drinking the wine, the king said, "Now, what is it you want? Half of my kingdom isn't too much to ask! Just ask." Esther answered, "Here's what I want. If the king favors me and is pleased to do what I desire and ask, let the king and Haman come again tomorrow to the dinner that I will fix for them. Then I'll give a straight answer to the king's question."
There is a time to…
1. Act.
In last week’s study, Esther had asked Mordecai to have everyone fast for 3 days. For 3 days they weren’t eating or drinking anything. When they got hungry or thirsty, they prayed. I’m pretty sure that every person here believes in the power of prayer; but we need to be careful that we don’t misuse prayer.
You may be wondering where I’m going with this- Many times through the years, I have seen good Church people use prayer as a “stall tactic”. You know? “We better not doing anything yet. We better keep praying.” When God leads you to do something, do it. Don’t wait another second.
If you’re not careful, you will talk yourself out of it. Esther’s life was on the line- I’m sure that it was hard for her to walk into the King’s presence unannounced; but even more challenging to figure out how to discuss this touchy matter with him.
There is a time to…
2. Be patient.
After Esther has the courage to go to King Xerxes and is welcomed by the King; she doesn’t just jump right in. Don’t forget- Timing is everything. I would have stormed in and said, “You need to kill Haman and do it right now”; but instead she invited him and Haman to 2 banquets.
We need to be attentive to the Holy Spirit. We need to think about what we say. Don’t just start spewing stuff all over the place. Sometimes, you just need to take your time. Let it all work out in God’s timing.
Esther 5:9-14 (MSG)
“Haman left the palace that day happy, beaming. And then he saw Mordecai sitting at the King's Gate ignoring him, oblivious to him. Haman was furious with Mordecai. But he held himself in and went on home. He got his friends together with his wife Zeresh and started bragging about how much money he had, his many sons, all the times the king had honored him, and his promotion to the highest position in the government. "On top of all that," Haman continued, "Queen Esther invited me to a private dinner she gave for the king, just the three of us. And she's invited me to another one tomorrow. But I can't enjoy any of it when I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the King's Gate." His wife Zeresh and all his friends said, "Build a gallows seventy-five feet high. First thing in the morning speak with the king; get him to order Mordecai hanged on it. Then happily go with the king to dinner."
There is a time to…
3. Ignore.
Ignore what? Haman was just talking trash as much as he could. Not only did he brag about how awesome he was; but he also made known that he hated Mordecai. His wife and friends suggested that he make a gallows to hang Mordecai on and he did.
We have to be careful that we do not allow the enemy to distract us. The devil likes to spend his time trying to get people to worship him and that’s what was going on. Also, if you just ignore them, then they are not alerted to do something. Catch the enemy by surprise- Ignore him. Don’t give him the privilege of using your time for you.
Conclusion:
Esther’s timing was perfect because she was on God’s time, which is always perfect.
