So often the Holy Spirit will speak to my heart through music. It might be a song I’ve heard hundreds of times before, but it comes on the radio and I hear the lyrics at just the right moment.

Yesterday a friend randomly sent me a link to: Reckless Love by Corey Asbury:

“Before I spoke a word, You were singing over me.

You have been so, so good to me.

Before I took a breath You breathed your life in me.

You have been so, so kind to me.

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God.”

I have been reading the story of Esther. It was one of my favorites as a little girl. God’s chosen people (the Isrealites) are in captivity, experiencing God’s judgement and people hate them. One powerful man hates them so much he makes an awful law that will allow the Isrealites to be slaughtered. But one of the Isrealite girls – an orphan being raised by her uncle- is chosen in a beauty contest to be the new queen, Esther. She and her uncle have an important conversation in chapter 4…

Esther ch 4 vs13-16 “Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. 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?” Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”

I love Mordecai’s profession of faith. He believed God would keep the promises he made to Abraham and preserve his chosen people, and then Mordecai invited Esther to risk her life and play the part God had ordained for her. I love that Esther was terrified. She knew she needed to fear God over man. She knew that He was ultimately in control… but she was still afraid and asked everyone to spend the next 3 days fasting and praying. Even once she got into the presence of the king she delayed the hard conversation. As a child I admired her beautiful bravery… as an adult I admire how she surrendered her life, her fear, her comfort and security. She put it all in God’s hands and obeyed, and he used a young girl to save a nation.

Sisters and Brothers, our sovereign creator placed us on earth to live and serve him NOW. He makes no mistakes. He is never surprised. He is working around us to seek and save the lost and inviting us to play a part in history by bringing Him glory. He spoke over you before you were created and he has placed you here – for such a time as this.

He may ask you to surrender: your hopes and dreams, your wealth, your comfort, your pride, even your life. We certainly have a legacy of sacrifice. But he will be faithful to fulfill his promise to us. He will replace our doubts and fears with supernatural peace. He will fill our hearts with joy even when nothing in our world makes any sense- like Esther probably felt too. We can praise Him in every situation and thank him for choosing us to fulfill his sovereign purpose.

Don’t miss out!

Don’t be too busy, or comfortable, or terrified to be included in the work God is doing in our time. And if you need a girl to fast and pray with you – you just let me know.

“My King Forever

You gave Your life for mine

Nailed to the cross You crucified

All my sin and shame

It was washed by Your mercy

You are the treasure I find

My reason for living

So let my life become an offering

To the one who is worthy

All praise to the Lord most high

All praise to the one who saved my life

All praise to Jesus Christ, High King of Heaven

My King forever

You stormed the gates of my heart

The veil in between was torn apart

Now You hold the keys

To the grave

‘Cause You bring things to life

You roll stones away

I lift my hands up, lay my whole life down

My whole life down before You

I lift my hands up lay my whole life down

My whole life now is for You”