WEDNESDAY IN THE WORD    January 11, 2023

                             “STEPS FOR OVERCOMING UNCERTAINTY”                                                       

 “Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “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. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” Esther 4: 15-16 NIV

The thought of a New Year can bring with it so much Joy, if we allow it to do so. But often times we reflect back on the missed opportunities and mistakes of the past year that tends to plague us. We can be overcome with anxiety of the very thought of making resolutions for a fresh start. A busy schedule, a personal crisis, and a past two years of changes that paralyzed us with uncertainty. So, my counsel to each of us is Do Not Make Resolutions. Thankfully, God’s Word has a solution for every situation that stymies us. While reading the book of Esther during a recent unsettled time in my life, God gave me a new perspective. Instead of seeing Esther as a queen with a tiara, I saw her as a woman with uncertainty swirling around her, just like us.

When Mordecai asked her to go to the king to stop the plot to destroy the Jews, she was wise. Before charging into a risky situation with an undetermined outcome, she took two powerful steps. This is a path we can follow today to steady us in our uncertainty. First, Esther Paused for the Plan. She didn’t react immediately. Notice it wasn’t a passive pause. The three days of fasting was a scriptural practice in order to hear from God. Instead of barging forward with our own ideas and agendas, let’s follow Esther’s example by getting alone and quiet, sharpening our spiritual hearing and watching and waiting for God’s perfect plan.

Second, Esther learned to Lean on People. In her pausing, she didn’t do it alone. She did it in community. Her story encourages us to lean into the people around us for support; with the caveat of asking God to help us choose wisely those people. People who love us and love the Lord can be trustworthy sources of wisdom and support we can rely on. A spiritually mature community can be one of God’s most precious gifts in uncertain times.

When I think of Dr. King and his life’s journey. He sought God’s plan as he moved on the path that was set for him. Which was the creation of the “Beloved Community.” But both he and Esther had much in common. They knew the ramifications of the call upon their lives that they were born to do. They accepted it and determined that they would see it to the end. With the assurance that if it meant living or dying, so be it. Now that’s definitely a sign of Spiritual Maturity. There will always be uncertainties in this life. But, if we learn to Slow down, Quiet ourselves and listen for the voice of God, to get His plan of action. Then we can lean on a wise and godly support system, our uncertainties will not Overwhelm us. So, in a season that is regarded as a fresh start, let us move forward as God paves the way for us to come into “The Beloved Community” as we take the steps necessary to Overcome the Uncertainties that are sure to come into our lives. All we have is this moment, right now, we can overcome anything that comes our way as long as we’re walking with the Lord. Amen!  

Rev. Andie