How Do You Handle the Difficult Situations of Life, Part 2

Scripture: Esther 4:6-12

So Hathach went out to Mordecai to the city square in front of the king’s gate. Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict which had been issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show Esther and inform her, and to order her to go in to the king to implore his favor and to plead with him for her people.  Hathach came back and related Mordecai’s words to Esther. Then Esther spoke to Hathach and ordered him to reply to Mordecai: “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king to the inner court who is not summoned, he has but one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days.” They related Esther’s words to Mordecai.

Insights: In today’s verses we see Mordechai receiving Hathach as an answer to his prayers.  In other words, Mordechai saw Hathach as the Lord working in the midst of his trial.  When the Lord is clearly working in your midst you need to respond in such a fashion.  Often times we begin to doubt or we let fear grip our hearts and render us paralyzed from action.  We must learn to respond like Mordechai and obediently follow after the Lord’s involvement in our lives.  He told Hathach to tell Esther everything that had transpired and even given her a commission of activity to do in order to help the Jewish people.  There is a second thing we observe in these verses today and that comes from the standpoint of Esther.  She began to make excuses as to why she was incapable of assisting in this particular crisis.  Beloved, we all, too often, respond like Esther.  This kind of hesitant response is not because we don't care or that we don’t want to get involved.  The real issue is fear.  We become struck by fear and begin to pull away from the individual in crisis.  We make excuses and then talk about the sad state of the individual in our safe little communities.  God forgive us for such a response.  We have all made those kind of excuses, but let me encourage you to keep returning this week to my blog and see what the final outcome of this scene really is, because it can be life changing.

Questions:

1. When the Lord begins to move in the midst of your trail, what do you do?

2.  Do you offer excuses as to why you won’t help one in the midst of his/her trial?

Prayer: Father, make me pliable in Your hands and to recognize Your activity.  Don’t let me make excuses as to why we cannot help those in need.  Amen.