May the mumbling commence!
Fasting for a purpose… it’s not something that we do
that often these days in America. We are
an instant society that’s used to our whims being pandered to. The focus is on me. Look at how peculiar the life choices of
Esther are… when she receives firm guidance from her uncle. Read from the end of Esther chapter four and
the beginning of chapter five:
Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: "Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and
fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And
then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I am willing to die." So Mordecai went away and did as
Esther told him.
Three days later, Esther put on
her royal robes and entered the inner court of the palace, just across from the
king's hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne, facing the
entrance. When
he saw Queen Esther standing there in the inner court, he welcomed her, holding out the gold scepter to her.
So Esther approached and touched its tip.
Then the king asked her, "What do you want, Queen Esther? What is your
request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!"
And Esther replied, "If it please Your Majesty, let the king and
Haman come today to a banquet I have prepared for the king."
(4:15-5:4)
Most of this is familiar with this part of Esther’s
story. “Maybe you have been elevated to
the palace for such a time as this.”
These were the words of her Uncle Mordecai. Esther must stand with her people, the
Jews. The secret of her ancestry could
no longer be kept – the secret that Mordecai had asked her to keep.
But anyone who went into the king’s inner courts without
being called by the king was risking death.
Esther knew that – most everyone did.
And Esther had not been invited by the king for over a month. But the edict to kill all Jews made her
choice pretty simple. Her life would
eventually be forfeit either way.
Secrets have a way of coming out.
Did Esther not trust her eunuch with sensitive
transmission between her and Mordecai?
Did not Esther trust in her maids, who joined her in the cleansing
experience of fasting? Her secret could
not be kept forever.
So, after complete fasting – no eating or drinking for
three entire days, Esther approached the king.
And the king extended his scepter and spared her life. The king asked her what she wanted… for she
must want something from him to approach him unannounced and risk her life.
But Esther did not tell him her request before all the
people in the inner courts. She invited
the king and Haman (the author of the Jews problems) to a feast that she
prepared. Can you imagine after fasting
for three days preparing a feast for someone else? Maybe Esther did not prepare herself… but her
maids did and they had been fasting too.
Somehow, I picture Esther working right beside them. The meal was too important.
But why did she insist on not one but to feasts? Have you ever thought about that? I have.
Maybe she wanted to reestablish her relationship with the king so that
he would recall the things that he loved about her… before she revealed her
true ancestry. It sounds logical. Maybe, this idea came to her as she was
fasting.
And why did she invite Haman along? Talk about loving your enemies! Esther graced Haman with some of the best delicacies
that money could buy. Not that is
peculiar – just as we Christians are to be peculiar. And never give up that peculiarity – despite the
troubles that we may see in our immediate roads. Read from Second Corinthians chapter four:
That is why we never give up.
Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present
troubles are quite small and won't last very long. Yet they
produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see right now;
rather, we
look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be
over, but the joys to come will last forever. (Verses 16-18)
Troubles want last for the peculiar people of God. What will last? Our joy in the Lord will last forever. Praise God!
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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