Esther 5

“On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance.” Esther 5:1 NIV

In reading today’s chapter, three things from Esther’s actions stood out to me that can apply to us as we serve the Lord. The first is that we should not delay. Even though this could have resulted in her death, Esther did not prolong her approach to the king. She promised Mordecai that she would fast and pray for three days and upon completion of that, she proceeded to enter the king’s inner court.

The second applicable thought that entered my mind is that when we are doing the Lord’s work, we must understand that often we are called into something that is beyond our control and outside of our comfort zone. We need to humbly approach the Lord, seeking His wisdom and His guidance. Even though we often do not know and understand the outcome, it is by faith in our God, that we boldly step out and move in the way that He leads.

My last thought is that we need to do all that we can in preparation for our calling. Even after her fasting and praying Esther does not immediately go and approach the king. Esther first put on her royal robes. In doing so, she wanted to make herself as pleasing to the king’s eyes as possible, allowing her permission to approach his throne, and thereby making her requests known to him.

Often when we hear of someone responding to the Lord’s calling, they have more uncertainty and more questions than they have answers. The story we read today is no different. Like Esther, may we humbly seek the Lord’s wisdom and guidance, and boldly go without delay to where the Lord is calling us.