Living FaithfullySample

Faith Ready to Die

Mordecai the Jew offended one of the chief counselors of the king of Persia, a man named Haman. Full of vengeance, Haman determined to punish not only Mordecai, but also his entire race. He went to the king and convinced him to issue a decree to exterminate the Jews. 

What Haman did not know was that the wife of the king was a Jewess; in fact, she was Mordecai’s niece, Esther. Mordecai sent word to Esther about the plot, and urged her to go to the king and plead for her people. Esther was reluctant. She reminded Mordecai that by the king’s decree, no one was allowed to approach him without being asked to do so, on pain of death. She told Mordecai that even though she was the king’s wife, it had been 30 days since he had summoned her, and possibly she was out of favor. 

One of the striking things about this story is its realism. There is nothing superficially pietistic about it. Esther felt the full weight of moral anguish and fear. She did not want to risk her life. She did not want to be the one who had to speak up. She did not want to get involved. She wanted someone else to do it. 

Mordecai rebuked her reluctance. He informed her that God was certain to save His people, whether through her or someone else. He asked her to consider the possibility that the reason God made her queen in the first place was just so that she might bear witness in this situation. She could not evade responsibility, he told her. She must speak out. 

Esther bowed before God’s will. She asked Mordecai to have all the people fast for her and then, she said, she would go to the king. She would do it even though it was against the law, because there is a higher law than the law of the human king. She would do it at the risk of her own life. 

Who is willing to take risks for the silent ones, for the unborn children in the United States who are being systematically slaughtered? More than one million unborn children are killed every year in part because the vast majority of Christians are silent when they should be speaking. We need to hear the rebuke of Mordecai and become a race of Esthers.

Coram Deo

Abortion is an issue on which we cannot be silent. Not to speak out is to endorse death. Pursuing righteousness doesn’t necessarily require breaking the law. But it does require action. Are you speaking against this injustice? Or are you silent? Ensure that your conscience is bound by God’s Word.