If I perish I perish

"Go, gather all the Jews who are present in 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!" – Esther 4v16

Once Esther decided to do right she decided it with all her heart. She was going to do what needed to be done. She and her maids would fast and she asked all the Jews in Shushan to fast for them to fast as well. Then she said – ‘I will go and violate this law about speaking to the king. And if I perish I perish.’

On a bit of a side note I think it is interesting to see how she chose to break the law. She knew how serious breaking the law was, yet she was willing to suffer the consequences.

But let’s get back to the main point. Look at Esther’s attitude toward doing the right thing. She knew in her own well-being came second to doing the right thing. She was willing to give her all to do what had to be done. If she died, she died, but she had to say something.

Her dedication reminds me of missionary Jim Eliot. In his college days he wrote something that would one day be tested. ‘He is no fool to give what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.’

This is the attitude of total abandonment in service which should dominate our lives. Just do it. Just serve God. Our lives belong to God. He is our master. We can’t be concerned with all the here and now stuff.

This doesn’t mean we serve with foolishness. It doesn’t mean that we don’t take care of ourselves. We can’t serve if we destroy our bodies, minds, and spirits.

However, we can’t let our personal fears keep us from our service.