Break Forth Like the Dawn

What does it look like to wait for the light to come when all feels dark and you are losing your hope?

In the book of Esther, there had been a decree issued by the king for all the Jews to be destroyed.  It felt pretty dark for the people of God.  Yet, Mordecai looked to God and trusted in the midst of the darkness.  He mourned, put on sackcloth and ashes and cried out to God.   In the midst of it, he was still confident that God would deliver them.  He told Esther, "If you stay silent during this time, deliverance for the Jews will come from somewhere, but you, my child, and all of your father's family will die." (Esther 4:13)

Esther had a harder time trusting the light would come.   She was afraid and this silenced her.   All she could see was the obstacles all around her.  She was looking for how to just survive through her difficulty rather than grabbing hold by faith what God might have for her. 

Ever been there?... frightened to speak up or step forward so you hide in the shadows?  You look at what might happen if you speak up rather than what God could do with the situation?   Esther told Mordecai that to approach the king without being invited and plead for her and her people would be certain death!  

She said the only exception would be if the king would hold out his scepter to her.   She didn't believe this would happen.  She didn't see the favor that she had with the king.  In the same way, often we can doubt God's favor towards us.   We fail to believe that He will extend His scepter to us when we ask and give us what we need.  Instead, we sit in doubt and fear.

Mordecai helped her turn from her fears about what could happen to her to the possibilities of what God was doing by speaking words of faith.   He told Esther that God was going to deliver His people either way.  This was her opportunity.  He said, "And who knows? Perhaps you have been made queen for such a time as this."   (Esther 4:13)

Esther faced her fears and began to trust God.  She asked that all the Jews in Susa would fast, pray and intercede for her along with herself and her maids for three days.   After this, she would go into the king.   She surrendered herself to her purpose and proclaimed, "If I die, then I die!" (Esther 4:18)

In my dream I heard, "surrender your heart fully to God". 

Job 11:13-15
"Surrender your heart to God,
    turn to him in prayer,
 and give up your sins—
    even those you do in secret.
 Then you won’t be ashamed;
you will be confident
    and fearless."

 

 What gets us stuck is a stubborn heart that holds on to ones own ways or outcomes (speaking of me here).  We are tempted to take control of our own lives, especially when we are afraid or angry, rather than surrender them.    When we follow what is right in our own eyes or fear rather than trusting God and following His ways, we are fighting against Him and cannot win. 

 

 God is all sovereign in all circumstances.   Job knew this but learned it in deeper ways in the midst of his suffering through a period of darkness.   He  said in Job 12:13-15,

"True wisdom and real power belong to God.  From Him we learn how to live, and also what to life for.  If He tears something down, it's down for good.  If he holds back the rain, there is a draught; If he lets it loose, there's a flood. Strength and success belong to God."

God gave Esther great favor and she was able to see events turn right before her very eyes. As they turned the corner, miracles happened and the power was shifted. An new order was sent from the king and publically proclaimed, allowing the Jews to protect themselves and their families against their enemies. (Esther 8:9-14)   At the same time, all saw Mordecai coming out of the kings presence donning royal robes and a crown. (Esther 8:15a) 

It says that when the Jews saw this, "they exploded into joy.  For the Jews, it was a time of celebration.  Darkness had turned to light.  Sadness to joy. Shame to honor." (Esther 8:15-16)    God had intervened powerfully.

In a dream, I saw darkness for some and heard the words, "The Light is right around the corner... wait for it."  I saw a person reaching their hand through the darkness and there came the light. 

"Wait," In this context I believe is Strongs #6960, the Hebrew word qavah.[1]   It is to stretch actively, remain in the tension of enduring, eagerly waiting with expectation, [2] hoping while looking earnestly to God, trusting deeply that you shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Here are some biblical examples of qavah -

Isiah 40:31, But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be wary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.

Psalm 37:34, Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land.

Press through the darkness and don't lose hope.  There is light right around the corner.  Activate your faith and reach through to the light.  For surely dawn will break through your darkness.

"For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ." (2 Cor. 4:6)

The Voice Bible Commentary notes about the Book of Esther, "The world has always endured times of great injustice, times of great need.  Yet God is at work, transforming sorrow to joy, shame to honor, injustice  to justice.  Each person is called to impact the age in which he or she lives."

This leads me to planting seeds.   In my dream, I had a packet of seeds sitting by my side.   We all have  ways to give and bring life - planting seeds of hope and faith around us.  Mordecai planted seeds of faith that called Esther into her divine purpose. 

Esther planted seeds that caused King Ahasuerus to totally turn around in his decision making about the Jews.  We do not always know the seeds we are planting or the impact they will have in someone's life. 

Seeds in the Bible are often the Word of God.    Scatter God's Words of life, faith, hope and love through prayer and encouragement and watch them bear fruit.

 

Isaiah 55:10-11 says, “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it."

However, seeds sown can be any act of charity or generosity.  Paul uses it in this context in 2 Corinthians 9:10-11 as he was speaking on giving cheerfully and generously.  He told them, "Now He who supplies seed to the sower and the bread for food will supply and multiply your store of seed and will increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous on every occasion, and your giving through us will produce thanksgiving to God.…"

The influence of others can have tremendous impact for negative or positive. Haman had influenced King Ahasuerus to agree to give him his ring and approve of a plan to slaughter an entire group of people.  This is something the king probably would never had thought of without Haman's influence.  Esther, on the other hand, was able to get the king to change his mind and approve the Jews to defend themselves.

This brings me to my next thought from my dream: Take initiative.  Don't sit back waiting for something to happen upon you.  The more that is sown, the more gained.  2 Corinthians 9:6 says, "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously."

Take initiative and engage your faith.  Like Esther, we all have been created for "such a time as this" with God given purpose.  Step forward and put your hands to what your heart prompts. 

Esther probably thought of herself as nobody special, an orphan who couldn't make much difference in the world.   Yet Mordecai helped her to see beyond herself to the possibilities.  Do we believe we were created to make a difference?

Sometimes people don't take initiative because they can't believe anything that they do would matter anyways.  People fail to sow into God's kingdom not because they are stingy but because they just don't believe God will use them.

We need to step forward in faith and trust that God will meet us when we are following His will as our heart's are prompted.
 

In 2 Corinthians 9:8, Paul says, "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.…

 

Lord, forgive me for the many ways I can be stubborn and/or afraid and shrink back rather than step forward in trust.   Give us soft and pliable hearts that are fully surrendered to you.  Ignite our faith and give us hope to press through areas that feel dark into the light of Your promises.  Give us the courage to follow our hearts prompting and take imitative.

1-2.  Qavah, Strong's definition located at: http://biblehub.com/hebrew/6960.htm