The extra mile in prayer !

Esther 5 : 2, “ So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter.

Mordecai brought up Esther like his own daughter. He showed her the way to the  palace of the king. Now she was the queen of the land. Mordecai could not approach her easily. When Haman managed to convince the king to write the letter to destroy the Jews and when it was known by the public, there was great wailing, mourning and grieving among the Jews.

In Esther chapter 4, we note 4 approaches to this great issue, where we can examine our approach to the issues facing us.

• Esther 4 :4, “So Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them.” Esther was grieved much when her maids and eunuchs came and informed her about the great wailing and mourning of Mordecai and the Jews. She sent  garments to Mordecai, hoping that it would solve the issue. Garments from a palace might be expensive and royal. But Mordecai did not accept them.

Often we try to approach the issue by doing some superfluous things, hoping it will solve the issue. Some try to become involved in many things to keep the mind busy so much so that they don’t get time to think about the issues. Some go for activities that might give them joy etc. All these are outer things that looks like royal garments. They might help to a skin deep level. But they refuse to rip off the sackcloth worn around their hearts.

• Esther 4:5, “Then Esther called Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend her, and she gave him a command concerning Mordecai, to learn what and why this was.” Esther loved Mordecai and it pained her to see him this way. So she now sent Hathach, her personal attendant to find out the reason behind the mourning. Mordecai told Hathach the details of the reason behind the grief and also charged Esther to speak to the king regarding the matter.

Knowing the reason of the issues arising in one’s life reveals the root which needs to be addressed.  Reasons of wailings and mourning’s in one’s life  might look or sound ugly, harsh and unacceptable by the people and society around. This causes many to hide them or put them away. Esther sent her personal attendant to know the reason instead of other maids and eunuchs who had brought her the news.. Approaching personally and carefully is a good way to know the depth of the reason. It saves us from the threat of being known and mocked by the general public.

• Esther 4 : 10, “Then Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a command for Mordecai: ¹¹ “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days.” When Esther was charged to approach the king regarding the matter, she spoke of the law that blocked her from doing so. She had no strength or mindset to cross the line drawn by the law. She might have settled in her comfortable royal zone. Though now she knew the reason of the wailing, she was unable to go the extra mile for her people.

Knowing the reason does not resolve the issue. It needs an extra mile to be covered, which might sound risky and uncertain.  Often the closed doors discourage  and weakens many lives. It makes one think about ‘dead ends’ and somehow have the attitude of living with the issue.

• But Mordecai opened her inner eyes by pointing out to the One, from where the help will come. Mordecai said that “relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place”. He expressed his deep faith in the Lord. He was not depending on Esther, whom he loved and was like his own daughter. He was not depending on Esther, the queen of the land and close to the heart of the king of the land. Mordecai’s eyes was fixed on the One who made the heavens and the earth.

On the other hand, Mordecai also pointed out her accountability in this regard. Esther 4:14, “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”  At times, God allows closed doors and laws to block our ways, to test our attitude. Either one can choose to settle in that situation or choose to look beyond the closed ways. Realization of her accountability accompanied by the strong faith in the Lord enabled Esther to finally respond in a way, well and pleasing to the heaven. She now saw the purpose of crossing the boundaries bigger than her her own life  Esther 4 :15-16, “Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: ¹⁶ “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in ^[c]Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” This insight strengthened her to step into prohibited area with a humbled heart.

She humbled herself with fasting and prayers. Her royal position was no more a hindrance. She set apart her royal garments as she fasted and prayed.. All the Jews and Mordecai fasted and prayed with her. Her accountability to the One who is just and does not show favors made her humble before His sight. After three days, she put on the royal apparel and stepped into the prohibited inner chamber of the king’s court. She obtained the favor of the king and later, her petition was sanctioned.

Realization accompanied by accountability is the apt approach we see here. Esther realized that the help will come from heaven, and from nowhere else.  She realized her accountability of her position given by the Lord.  She thus humbled herself before the Lord, who alone could combine these two truths and transform it into a great deliverance.  Esther walked the extra mile in humbling and praying and saw things turn around.

When heaven bestows favor on us, He accepts us first and then the issues we carry in our hearts. We, being justified by faith in Christ have the access to the most holy place. We have been accepted by the heaven through the cleansing of our sins by the blood of Jesus. Time and again, as we continue to humble ourselves, the King of kings sanctions our petitions in His way and in His perfect time.

Let our focus be on the Lord and His promises, instead of  laws and barriers blocking our ways. Let us be willing to humble ourselves to the purpose and calling of our lives. Let us be willing to go the extra mile in our prayers, which gives us faith  to step into prohibited areas.  Let us not settle with superfluous activities which seems like putting on royal garments around  the sackcloth within. May we seek Him and His ways through effective fervent prayers. May we be willing to walk the extra mile in humbling and praying time and again.

There was feasting and gladness in Shushan among the Jews. Mourning gave way to rejoicing and praises. May we seek His favor by humbling ourselves before the Lord.

GOD bless us all.