Who Knows?

“For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

Esther 4:14

As we stand on the brink of 2009, it seems to promise to be a new and challenging time for our nation and the world. The economy is on a wild roller coaster ride … we have a new President coming into office … there are tales of ruin for the auto industry … we are still dealing with levels of violence in the Middle East … and many other situations that we know about, and others we have yet to discern. 2009 will be the beginning of a challenging time for us as individuals, and, I believe, for the church.

Often we see Christians, when faced with these sorts of situations, throw their hands up in the air, complain about it all, and start predicting the coming rapture of the church. Many times, the church is great about talking about these things, but seldom do we see the church (and by this I mean both the institution and the individuals who compose the true, spiritual church) go out and ‘do’ the faith in the midst of a broken world.

Esther was faced with some hard decisions about her role in delivering the Jews from the evil intentions of Haman. Her uncle, Mordecai, counseled her through this, and gave this very poignant advice – “And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther took this advice, and went about doing right for God’s people.

I believe we need to take that same advice for ourselves. Instead of declaring these times as gloom and doom and giving up, we need to heed the words of Mordecai, and trust that God has providentially put us in this time and place –and, who knows whether we have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this? I truly believe that is the time for the church to start being the church and to affect the Gospel for a time and a place that desperately needs to hear the Gospel from the pulpit and from the lives of God’s children.

What we are asked to do in this time and place is laid out for us in God’s word and will for our lives…

Matthew 22:37-40: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."

1 Timothy 2:1-2: First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

Titus 3:1-2: Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.

James 1:27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

I trust that if we believe that we have been called to a time and place such as this, and live our lives in the way God has called us, we will affect more change than humanly possible, because we will be living out God’s will, which will always reign supreme over all. We need not fear economic turmoil, a new administration, violence or pestilence. If we live out the grace of God’s will in our lives, this will do more then any hand-wringing, stress or anxiety can ever accomplish.

It is my prayer that my life will show this truth … and that your life will show the same. I hope that we will each grasp our call to a time such as this, and be obedient to God’s call and will in our lives. Who knows what the result will be if we live like Esther did? God used her obedience to deliver His people and vanquish His enemies. May God do the same with us, as long as we live according to His gracious will.

Soli Deo Gloria --- Pastor James

Thoughts on Worship

A friend of mine, Jake Hunt, blogs at wisertime.wordpress.com (check it out soon - he and his family are preparing to move to Prague to plant a church, and he faithfully blogs on Christianity, Scripture and culture .... good stuff), and recently posted this about worship. It is short and sweet!

Top 5 Reasons Corporate Worship is Important
December 30, 2008 by Jake

In response to a question from my boy Duane.

1. The Bible commands it. Lots. Of. Times.
2. God deserves it.
3. God takes it very seriously. (See Leviticus, Book Of.)
4. We need it.
5. Nonbelievers need to see us do it.