Esther 4 v 16 "... And if I perish, I perish"
When Esther found out about the decree to kill all of the Jews from Mordecai, she initially thought 'they don't know that I'm a Jew so I'm ok. I won't be slaughtered and there is nothing I can do because I can't go into the kings presence without being summoned'. Mordecai was quick to remind her that God's people would be saved with or without her (his faith was strong), and that if she didn't help, her father's family would all perish. He also reminded her that she had become Queen at this just time - surely that was for a purpose!
So she had a choice - to do the right thing and risk being killed or to sit back and watch thousand others perish.
I am reminded of a line from this weeks Merlin drama on BBC "when the way ahead seems impossible that is the way". I appreciate that it is not the most biblical of references but I am a firm believer that God can speak through many things and the medium of TV is one of them for me.
The lesson is that even when it doesn't look like you can go that way or make that choice, remember that God has gone before us and made the route. Even if to our human eyes we can't see the route, with God he will guide us. But the proviso is doing the right thing.
How often do you hear "I had no choice, but to do this". I have come realise that there is always a choice. It is how you view the choice; many times you may not feel like you only have one choice because the other is so horrific! I'm going to use a nasty example here just to illustrate - you are driving along and a small child runs out into the middle of the road, you hit them and they are lying in the middle of the road dying - you have a choice to get out of the car and save the childs life or drive off and save yourself. To me there doesn't appear to be a choice - I have to save the child but others might save themselvess. The point is there is always a choice. To eat the cake or not eat the cake. To get to work on time or to be late. it is your choice.
You may not feel like doing the right choice and your reasoning is that you are too weak to travel that route but if it is God's will you will be victorious.
One of the songs at church this week said "he chose the cross". Jesus didn't want to go to the cross, he still had to make the choice to be obedient to God. But you say "he was Jesus - so that makes it different". Yes, but he was man, he suffered with the flesh just like us. His flesh didn't want to die. But he chose to make a way for us and that meant sacrificing himself.
What choice are you faced with that you don't like the options for? Is God telling you his way is your least preferred option? I find when I am faced with a choice that I don't like I will agonise for days/weeks/months and yes - even years over it. It isn't that the choice is difficult it is that I don't like the way God is telling me to go. I have found that once I have made the choice - even if the road is a little rough - I am given peace over the situation.
Give yourself some peace and make the right choice - I know that God will be there walking it with you.
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