If I perish

Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: “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 4.15-16

The courage of this woman Esther is astounding. Here she was, a young Jewish woman thrust into the role of the queen of Persia. She must have had mixed feelings. After all she was living in the palace in the lap of luxury. But, her people were being threatened by new laws. No one knew that she was a Jew and the law exterminating Jews would have resulted in her death if anyone found out.

She was the only one who could save her people. ‘Who knows if you are here for such a time as this?’

How did she reply? ‘Gather the Jews and have them fast and pray with us. Its against the law for me to go to the king like this. But, I go, and if I perish, I perish.’

What an example of courage and bravery and faith and reliance on prayer Esther was. She knew that she might be killed, but still she was ready to go for her people.

How many of us can honestly say that we have this kind of ‘if I perish’ attitude? That’s quite a question isn’t it? Can we honestly say that we hold our life so loosely that we can say ‘if I perish, I perish’ for the cause of Christ? Or, do we hold our lives so dear that we cannot honestly present ourselves to Christ for whatever He calls us to do?