WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

The stage is set with a beautiful room, fit for a Queen, the velvet curtains are closed and we find a man, on the floor, distressed and crying out to God. Mordecai will not be consoled. At Queen Esther's bidding, he shares what is heavy upon his heart. He sends word about what Haman has done and  his plan to completely destroy all the Jews. He instructs the messenger to tell Esther to go to the King and plead with him for her people. 


The velvet curtain opens while Mordecai remains on the side, crying softly. The room is filled with royal servants and we see the messenger telling Queen Esther Mordecai's message. The orchestra beneath the stage softly plays music that crescendos, informing us of her fear and the dangerous plot taking place. Esther walks to the left of the stage, hand on her throat, fearful and saying,"But if I don't find favor before the King, I will die.                                     How can he expect me to go before the King?"

Music changes and you know a song is coming. The messenger leaves Queen Esther and talks to Mordecai. Mordecai rises and sings, " Do not think that because you are in the king's house, you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent, deliverance will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish." The messenger is near the Queen and walks slowly towards her.

Dimming the lights off of Mordecai and shining them on Queen Esther, he ends his song, " And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a...time  as...this."The music rises powerfully and Queen Esther understands what she must do. In a beautiful voice she sings out, "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." She falls on the ground and on her knees, continues her song, "When this is done, I will go to the King, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish." She rises and enters her room filled with ladies in waiting, looks at them and repeats, "And if I perish, I perish." The curtains move into the middle to meet and applause fills the theater as the orchestra replays the ending, "If I perish, I perish."

Youtube Clip from Veggie Tales movie, 

"Esther, the Girl Who Became Queen."

And so I bring my personal dramatization of Esther, Chapter 4 to a stop and I come before you, the reader. "What are you waiting for?" What is it going to take for you to rise from your comfort zone to pray and cry out to God? All around us and in our lives Mordecai has spoken. What is it going to take for us to take times of prayer fasting in order to come against the notice of death and destruction made against you and your family? Will you be like Esther, waiting for the news to come in before decide to do what has to be done in order to go before the King of Kings? There's no law preventing you if you draw near to the King of Glory.

photo from veehd.com/search?tag=one+night+with+the+king

What will it take? Do you need a death sentence, an emergency, a sickness, or the most horrible news possible to shake you from your comfortable place  in the king's house, and force you out into the very presence that can save your situation. In Esther's time, the King could order your death if you had not been invited and if he didn't think highly of you showing up just because you had a need. But the King that you and I have chosen to honor doesn't work with these same rules. You don't need an appointment or a special day to come before Him. Just a heart that says, "Lord, I'm here."

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. (Hebrews 4:16)

What are you waiting for to turn to the King of Kings? What excuses do we have? The church opens for prayer and we stay home, (and I know sometimes it's impossible to always be there) but brother and sisters, if an emergency notice comes knocking at our door, we run to the church and knock the door down seeking to pray and asking others to join us in prayer for our situation. If persecution arises, we will pray and fast and run into His Presence.

photo from http://www.prayer4awakening.com/introduction/

We should go before our King because we love him and need him, but more than that, there is joy in His presence. Times of refreshing come when we are before Him. Nothing compares to how we are restored and renewed in His presence. I pray you don't wait for a difficult time in your life,  for Mordecai to show up and announce something tragic and then command you to prepare yourself to go and see the King. If you've safe and secure, like Esther, you will feel strange, unsure, and ever fear death. But, like Esther you must fight on and say, "If I perish, I perish!" 

And, you know what? You're not going to perish because God wants you to come to him and he will not cast you away. He has the answers you seek and the help you need. So, what are you waiting for? No more waiting. Let's go. Together. Take me to the King.

Song,"Take Me to the King" by Tamela Mann and 

You Tube video from movie, "One Night With the King"