If_____then_____

I am continuing to be blessed by the study of Esther by Beth Moore.  I'm learning so much and it seems so applicable to our current day life.  I appreciate people and teachers like Beth that can apply the principles so easily to current life.  It shows how active and living God's word really is. 

There are a couple of verses and points that really stuck out to me this last week.  Shortly after Esther became queen an edict was issued for all the Jews to be killed.  She was in a unique spot because she was actually a Jew herself.  Her Uncle Mordecai that had raised her begged her to go to the King to save all the Jews.  The problem was that if she was not summoned to go to the King and she went to him on her own, she would be killed as that was the law. 

Then Mordecai says something really powerful to Esther, "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape.  For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish.  And who knows but that you have come to a royal position for such a time as this?" Esther 4:13-14.  I love that verse that I highlight.  It really applies to our own lives.  Sometimes we find ourselves in difficult or strange situations and we wonder what we are suppose to do.  But who knows, it might just be God's perfect time to step out in faith:)  And these times never seem to be convenient times!

Then once Esther decides she will act and approach the king she asks everyone to fast for her in advance and then says, "When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law.  And if I perish, I perish." Esther 4:16

Beth did such a nice job explaining that we are all faced with our 'worst fears' and how we tend to respond.  Most of our 'what ifs' never even come true.  I know I waste a lot of time thinking about fears that never even come true.  It at times has robbed my joy! 

But when we let our mind play out what would happen if that fear came true we fill in the blank with all sorts of reactions like, 'I would not be able to handle it...', 'I would want to die', 'I would be so hurt, angry, sad, devastated, etc, etc'.  But Beth reminded us that no matter what is filled in the blank after 'if', the blank after 'then' will always be filled in with this: Then my God will take care of me!  And isn't that the truth!  I've seen it over and over again in my life.  And that is exactly what my God has done.  He has taken care of me and loved me through each and every season of my life.  And its interesting even after seeing God work in my life that way, I still am tempted to be fearful about things and situations.  I wonder if He ever gets frustrated with me! 

This lesson really was so freeing to me.  Because at the end of the day, it doesn't matter what happens in life as long as I have Christ. He is unshakable!  My confidence can never be in things of this life that can be destroyed, but instead I must always build my life on Christ and his unshakable kingdom. 

Hebrews 12:28-29

²⁸ Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, ²⁹ for our “God is a consuming fire.”^[a]