Session Four - Esther 4:11-17

Can you imagine living without fear?

I am a few weeks behind in summarizing Session 4 but that statement reminds me how powerful the session was.  If you recall, we were at the point in the story where Esther had a choice to make - would she default to self preservation or would she step up to the plate of brave determination.  It was easier hearing the words from Esther's life - "if I perish, I perish" - than sitting down and filling in the blank from our listening guide - "And if __________ then __________." But I love how Beth led us up to it.

She talked about the proverbial "wife of noble/virtuous character" (Prov. 31:10).  I will never roll my eyes again when I hear that passage because of what we learned about the word "noble".  The Hebrew word, chayil, translates as "valour" . . . it's an army term . . . it means to be BRAVE (Judges 6:12 - http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H2428&t=NIV).

The single, most profound characteristic of the Proverbs 31 woman - BRAVE?  Yes, BRAVE!!!!

Beth talked about how Esther overcame herself, rose to the the challenge of where God had placed her and faced her fear - " . . . and if I perish, I perish." . . . and ;then shared with us a story from her life. Actually, she modeled how she faced the greatest fear in her life - what is the worst thing that can happen? . . . and if this, then what?

I love how:

• she spoke out loud the words of conditional faith that many of us have heard in our own heads - "I will trust God to never let ______ happen to me."
• she spoke out loud what is so hard to offer - "Will I trust God, period?" (Job 13:15)
• incredibly clear it became to fill in the blanks . . . "And if this, then GOD!!!!"

Our scenario for the coming week's homework came halfway through the session, Scenario #5 - it's tough being a woman in the tight fist of fear.   From that, Beth talked about facing one of life's biggest fears - the fear of death -  and then took us to God's Word to see what He did about it:

     "By embracing death, taking it into Himself, He destroyed the Devil's hold on death and freed all who cower through life, scared to death of death."

(Hebrews 2:14-15, The Message)

She showed us what He said about it:

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

"Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."

"When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ."

And finally, she showed us we have our own "for such a time as this".  Like Esther, we have the choice to take the courage we are offered because there is something more important than fear:

"And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus."

(Galatians 2:20, John 17:3, Colossians 2:13, Ephesians 2:6)

Ah, I am roused to live my life courageously!  Thank you NOBLE women, for taking this journey of the heart with me.  Jan : )