ESTHER: FAITHFUL PERSEVERANCE
GOD TURNS “DEAD ENDS” INTO “ENDS WELL” FOR THE FAITHFUL WHO PERSEVERE
Driving an emergency ambulance for a funeral home in Virginia was no fun. How do you think I felt when, enroute to the emergency room one morning with an injured patient on board, I made a wrong turn onto a dead-end street?
My adrenalin kicked in and I prayed, “Lord God, for the sake of my patient, I beg you to turn this could-be deadly mistake into a life-saving mission of mercy.”
Long story short: A motorcycle cop showed up and escorted us - via the back way that I had thought I was taking to avoid rush hour traffic – and, fortunately, we got to the emergency room sooner rather than later. My patient lived to tell about it.
Most of us have found that dead-ends are part of living in the real world of ups and downs – so many problems to solve, hurdles to overcome, obstacles to negotiate!
Yet, we have learned oftentimes the hard way that what seems at the time to be a dead-end unleashes within us what you might call “creative tension”.
Sometimes the problem, hurdle, obstacle, dead-end gives rise to a “win” that we might not have otherwise experienced had we relied on our own strength and expertise – and It’s at that point of frustration that we must let the Lord God take over, as expressed by Martin Luther:
“Should we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing - were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing. Dost ask who that might be? Christ Jesus, it is He, Lord Sabaoth His Name, from age to age the same, and He must win the battle.”
In our story of Queen Esther, she and the king faced what appeared to be an insurmountable problem, hurdle, obstacle, dead-end.
The fact of the matter is, the two of them had been “boxed in” by the devil disguised as Haman who had tricked the king into signing an edict that, if carried out, would eradicate all Jews.
Now that Haman had been put in his place, reaping what he had sown, the other two in that Drama Triangle were left with the biggest challenge yet – how to change the unchangeable - something only God can do! Esther 8:1-8 . . .
Folks: Whatever the problem, hurdle, obstacle, dead-end you face, please do not miss the lesson learned from this dramatic ending of Esther’s story: If God can change the unchangeable in this case, He can do so in your case!
The great thing about Esther is: She took responsibility. The problem of her kinsfolk became her problem, and she responded with conviction and courage.
In our counseling center we adhere to the family systems model which says “If one member of the family has a problem, the whole family has a problem.”
At an earlier point In this drama, Esther had the chance to “sluff it off” as if she had no problem; after all, she had it made insofar as her personal security and comforts were concerned.
However, due to her upbringing by a foster parent who took adoption of his niece seriously, as if she were his own daughter, and who himself was a person of integrity and moral character, Esther had been rightly conditioned (her heart tuned and her brain wired) to do the right thing without hesitation. A mark of maturity!
A word of caution about taking an excessive amount of time to deal with an obvious problem: Avoid letting yourself become the problem by hoping it will go away and that you won’t have to deal with it.
Rather, be an active part of the solution. Actively wait on the Lord - not using the biblical admonition to “wait” as an “excuse” but as a means of getting it right.
Taking responsibility and dealing with it immediately means praying about the problem, listening to the still small voice within, seeking sound advice, acting upon the possible solution wisely – carefully, not rashly – and be willing to alter your course (as a pilot does in mid-flight) if it becomes apparent that there is a better way.
Someone complained: “I’d like to ask God why He allows injustice in the world when He could do something about it.” Whereupon a friend asked: “What’s stopping you?” To which the individual replied: “Because I’m afraid God might ask me the same question.” (“Why are you allowing injustice in the world when you could do something about it?”)
Let there be justice in “my world” . . . and let it begin with my concern . . . my conversation . . . my contribution to the solution.
Having established the importance of taking responsibility, another word of caution: In dealing with a seemingly insurmountable problem, know when to take a break from whatever it is that has “hit you like a ton of bricks”.
Did you notice in our previous Bible study, the king’s initial reaction when he learned who had tricked him? Anger! So angry that he went for a walk.
In prior assessments of his behavior, one would have concluded Xerxes acted like a “fool” but, in this instance, give him credit for taking a break.
Take note of where he took a break from the crisis – in the garden! A place of contemplation and meditation!
After taking a break from wrestling with personal situations, the outcome might be no different. Taking time to think it through and pray it through allows for clarity of judgment with no disparity of motive. “Before opening mouth, be sure brain is in gear.” The Christian’s goal is to get it right in God’s sight! A pure motive!
Persevering in her pursuit of justice for her people, emanating from a pure motive unstained by personal prejudice, Esther continually interceded before her king. Would you agree that, in our pursuit of justice for all, persistence has a role to play?
The persistence of Esther paid off in the revocation of the death sentence hanging over their heads plus official restoration of their freedom from bondage – a Cause for celebration!
Thus, the Festival of Purim instituted by Mordecai 25 centuries ago and still observed to this day, commemorates God’s turning of a “dead end” (a massacre) for the Jews into an “ends well” (deliverance) for His people. “Their sorrow was turned into rejoicing and mourning into a holiday” (Esther 9:22).
It is fitting that we conclude this Bible study series - one that began with Esther in the wrong place at the wrong time, then providentially positioned to be in the right place at the right time, to win freedom for God’s people, and to redeem all of them from death unto life – at a time when our nation observes a day set aside to remember those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.
Even more fitting is the foreshadowing conveyed here of our celebration of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. God turned sorrow into rejoicing and mourning into a Christian holiday – Easter!
Our Lord paid the ultimate price for our freedom from bondage to Satan, our victory over sin and the grave. To briefly summarize the truth we take away from the story of Esther:
“Sometimes life takes us places we never expected to go. In those places, God writes a story we never thought would be ours.”
Our Father: Thank you for the strength and courage of Queen Esther!
As we continue life’s journey, perhaps in a place we never expected to be, continue to write a story we never thought would be ours. May we persevere in our commitment to Christ - to face our problems, hurdles, obstacles, dead-ends, with the spiritual strength Jesus imparts, with the courage the Holy Spirit give us to be faithful unto death. Amen.
