Take A Stand!

As Christians we must be humble, loving and considerate. In my opinion we do these things sometime to a fault where we find ourselves being too passive and understanding. Just because we are Christians does not mean that we allow anything, in fact being Christians should push us to take a firm approach on things that area against the will of God. I believe the main issue many people have with taking a stand is the risk of putting yourself out-there, because then you have to deal with the repercussions. We should take the example of our Christian family around the world where in some countries our religion is outlawed. In these places a person can even be killed for carrying a bible or practicing our faith. But these brothers and sisters still proclaim there love for Jesus Christ even in the face of punishment and death, that's taking a stand. We must stand up and live our faith this lenten season. What's your stance?

Today's devotion is take from the book of Ester a sister who took a stand for her people knowing the outcome could be death.

Esther 4

New International Version (NIV)

Mordecai Persuades Esther to Help

4 When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. ² But he went only as far as the king’s gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it. ³ In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

⁴ When Esther’s eunuchs and female attendants came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. ⁵ Then Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king’s eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why.
⁶ So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate. ⁷ Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. ⁸ He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.
⁹ Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. ¹⁰ Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, ¹¹ “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”
¹² When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, ¹³ he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. ¹⁴ 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 your royal position for such a time as this?”
¹⁵ Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: ¹⁶ “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
¹⁷ So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions.

Are you willing to be like Ester and stand up against oppression? If so I encourage you to take a stand on an issue of your choice that you know is wrong or against the will of God.  I'm taking a stand against the Israeli occupation of Palestine, I know God does not want any person to be a captive in their own home on their own land!    Whats your stance?


Be Well, PJ