Esther: Seeing Our Invisible God in an Uncertain WorldSample

But Will It Turn Out Right?

Today’s key verse is Esther 5:1 which says, “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.” (NIV)

Have you ever been on the crux between obeying God and a potentially scary outcome?

Each morning taking Matthew 6:6 literally, I knelt in my clothes closet asking God for the type of job my husband Greg wanted. One day, I sensed a nudge: “The job you’re praying for is your job.” Did I hear that right? The job for Greg was mine?

I had recently obtained my dream job. While odd and scary, I sensed God’s hand might be behind this crazy idea. Preparing to present this idea to my boss, all scenarios flitted through my mind. What if he doesn’t hire Greg but chooses someone else? What if he thinks I’m uncertain and lets me go?

That day, I asked my boss to interview Greg for my sales position and consider me for an administrative role. My boss made sure I knew what I stood to lose, which I did. I was so grateful when soon Greg and I both had new jobs!

In Esther 5:1, Esther isn’t trying to decide between obeying God and losing her dream job, but she is at a point of monumental risk. For the sake of the people God loves, she chooses to approach the king to save the Jews from genocide. The consequence, should the king choose not to hold out the golden scepter, was death. (Esther 4:11) Whether she feels courageous and confident or she’s doing it scared, Esther makes her way to the king’s court. “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)

While Esther may have been trembling under those royal robes, I believe she leaned into discernment and looked for God to make the king receptive toward her.

Can you possibly imagine the relief engulfing Esther as the king began raising his scepter? Oh, the kindness of God when the worst-case scenario doesn’t play out! And even greater, when the thing we feared never comes to pass and God surprises us with good.

I don’t know about you, but getting past scary things isn't my favorite thing. I have, however, been learning to do just that. With our focus on God as the provider of the wisdom, strength, and courage we need, we can trust Him to empower us to do hard things each day.

Like Esther’s uncertainty in going before the king, we have no idea how our steps of doing good works with God will turn out. While physical death is not what most of us face, we may risk the death of control of our schedules, our reputations, our futures, and certainly our comfort levels.

For Esther, her move produced an outcome she hoped for: the king was delighted to see her. Yet, let’s remember: Esther did what was right not knowing if it would turn out right. For some of us, now, like Esther, is the time to consider the risk and move forward, doing the good work God’s calling us to do. With the power of the Holy Spirit, we can, like Esther, step out even if we don’t know how it will turn out.

For deeper study today, work through these questions:

When have you experienced God directing you to move, but you didn’t feel confident about the outcome?

What is one thing you can do to move toward something God might be asking you to do?

Pray this prayer with me as we wrap up today:

Lord, help me to obey You and do what You are calling me to do, whether it turns out the way I’m hoping or not! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.