A Sense of Urgency

Esther 8: ⁵ “If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if he regards me with favor and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces. ⁶ For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?”

⁷ King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have impaled him on the pole he set up. ⁸ Now write another decree in the king’s name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king’s signet ring—for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.”

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¹⁰ Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king’s signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king.

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“You’d better get busy calling people” one of my friends at work told me. This was going to be one of the worst reorganizations the company would face. It was Friday and I urgently called my network and one person said “We need you out in the West Coast Monday.” I had hours to decide whether or not to pick up and move my entire life, family and all to a new place.

• Sometimes life comes at me very fast.
• Sometimes things change for me in a moment.
• Sometimes a fire gets lit and I have to do something about it immediately.

“Why me” can’t even be uttered when life happens. The smoke clears and suddenly I am in a new chapter of this journey, confused and bewildered. How should I act when change is thrust upon me?

• GOD says to me “I will be with you always even unto the end of this age.”
• GOD says to me “No man can pluck you out of my hand.”
• GOD says to me “My grace is sufficient.”

When things happen quickly, my mind starts racing with plans and steps toward action. BUT GOD wants me to stop for a moment and communicate with HIM. HE desires that I act with a sense of urgency in helping people stay on HIS path and remain encouraged. In every emergence HE wants me to bring HIM along with me.

• Has life happened to you?
• Did some emergency change your life quickly?
• Can you stop for a moment to ask GOD to enter into your plans?
• Will you start acting with a sense of urgency to reach the people GOD wants you to speak with?

GOD is no longer mad at me.

Genesis 8: ²¹ The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.

²² “As long as the earth endures,
seedtime and harvest,
cold and heat,
summer and winter,
day and night
will never cease.”

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Plastering was something I had never done before but this particular summer, it was my job.  I had to carry heavy bags of tools or plaster mix or boulders, well it seemed like boulders. I was constantly doing things wrong that the owner would have to correct me. I think I broke stuff and had to take numerous breaks because I got a splinter on my elbow or somewhere!

After my first day I didn’t want to come back but I said “thank you” and the owner seemed delighted. “See you tomorrow” he said. You mean he wants me to come back? I’m pitiful.

• Sometimes I think I have messed up royally with GOD.
• Sometimes I think my clumsiness in life translates to GOD being disgusted with me.
• Sometimes I think GOD is mad at me and that’s why I’m not getting my way.

GOD sees my pitiful attempts to serve HIM and others and is delighted by what HE sees.  I’m not speaking about the times that I try too hard or when I’m feeling ultra-religious and judging others. GOD sees when I have very little to offer and I give that up for HIM.

• GOD knows my heart is evil yet loves when I try to serve HIM.
• GOD knows every inclination I have is against HIM yet HE loved me enough to die for me.
• GOD knows I was born and raised in sin yet HE has a plan that’s great for me.

HE provides food, great weather and enables me to sleep and wake to a new day. HIS love for me will never cease and it’s a great feeling of relief.

• Do you think GOD is mad at you?
• Are you feeling like you have not reached your potential?
• Can you recognize GOD is faithful to you?
• Won’t you realize HE does not go back on HIS great plan HE has for you?