I’ve been meditating on Esther and Mordecai during my quiet time, and I really believe that God has been using that story to communicate to me that there is a new level of favor, access, and open doors coming to his people that are willing to take the risk of unconventional obedience.
Unconventional obedience is not the norm. It’s obedience that makes us vulnerable and has obvious risks. For example, Esther was in a comfortable position as the queen of the kingdom she ruled over with her husband. She did not have anything to worry about, but her people were in danger.
Thus, she willingly made herself uncomfortable placing herself at risk to approach the king knowing that meant her very life would be at risk. She obeyed anyway being led of the Lord after a fast she had called for both herself and her people to go on.
They were fasting because an enemy of the Jews, Haman, had ordered by law that the Jews would be killed on a particular day of the month. Esther’s obedience along with the obedience of her elder cousin, Mordecai unlocked favor and additional open doors to the Jewish people in that region. Mordecai had been ridiculed for not bowing down to Haman. He’d been made to appear as a fool for his obedience to God instead of to Haman, but God was working behind the scenes for his good.
I believe that like Mordecai appeared to be foolish in holding fast to his conviction and getting in trouble for it; many of God’s people have been holding fast to their God-given convictions and they’ve appeared foolish for it as well. Perhaps, those holding their convictions were not promoted as fast. They had to settle in a humble place for a good while, but that is okay because we learn the Lord best in humility. Our trust grows in him the most in that humble place.
Haman was the very opposite. He was so full of pride. He needed to be humbled and God orchestrated the circumstance in such a way to do just that. Esther, who had already come from a humble place of losing both of her parents and being raised by her elder cousin, already knew how to humble herself. She humbled herself with fasting and prayer. She humbled herself to her king asking him to attend a banquet. Favor was already ordained for her. She just had to obey what God was showing her to do in faith that things would turn out well. The king’s response was, “I’ll give you whatever you want up until half of the kingdom.”
While the king was attempting to sleep the night before the banquet; God would not allow him to do so. He read up on how Mordecai had saved his life. Haman was consulted by the king on what to do to honor Mordecai. Mordecai’s enemy, Haman, was made his footstool. Haman had to parade Mordecai around dressed in the king’s clothes and riding the king’s royal horse. It was only the beginning of the shift of Haman being bought low and Esther and Mordecai being promoted.
The banquet took place. Esther asked the king for her life and the life of her people. Again, although she was comfortable in the king’s house. She made herself uncomfortable to intercede for her people in obedience to God. The king granted her request, hung Haman, promoted Haman’s estate to Esther, and Esther appointed Mordecai over Haman’s estate. Finally, the king gave both Esther and Mordecai his seal to reverse the law that had gone out to destroy the Jews. Instead, the law was re-written to place residents in fear of the Jews given them explicit right to defend themselves.
Had Esther not obeyed, she would never have experienced God’s favor in a greater way. Her people may have still been in bondage and danger of genocide. Had Mordecai not obeyed in honoring the king, he would not have been promoted and honored by the king. What is it that God is pricking your heart to do? In what ways can you display your obedience to God that are uncomfortable, risky, or unconventional, but you know if you obey, doors will be open and God’s favor will ensue?
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