Chosen and Called

“But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king” Esther 4:11.

Back in the days of Queen Esther, it was considered treason for anyone to approach the king without an invitation.  It was an automatic death sentence unless he showed mercy upon the person by lifting his golden scepter.  It is no doubt that Esther feared for her life – her presence had not been requested in a month, and the king had a full harem of beautiful women at his disposal.  I am certain Esther sat upon her royal couch, her mind spinning for answers to her questions.  ‘Has my king grown tired of me?  Am I no longer beautiful enough for him…smart enough…exciting enough?’ In the hidden places of her heart resided feelings of abandonment, being taken for granted and used.  I can almost picture her with the crown in her lap, sitting in the dark with a broken and fearful heart running her fingers along the rim of the crown.  ‘Why me?  What will become of me?  What did I do wrong?  Does this crown not guarantee me anything?’

As I consider this young woman I also consider myself and every other child of God.  We all experience circumstances that interrupt our lives with life-altering impact…an impact that forces us to access our relationship with our King.  We realize that we have given very little time to the One who deserves our intimate fellowship and worship.  We enjoy our lives with little awareness of the uncountable blessings afforded us from being in His royal family.  Then one day, life unapologetically imposes circumstances upon us and drives us to our knees.  We know we have no other choice but to approach the King, regardless of how long it has been.  But this is where our story splits off from Esther’s story.  As she fears approaching her king with her circumstances, we have the authority and confidence in approaching our King through the golden scepter of the cross.  Our golden scepter is a crossbeam where our Savior suffered, died and rose again affording us continuous fellowship with our King. ‘But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light’ 1 Peter 2:9.

Our King calls us out of the darkness of our heartbreaking circumstances.  He beckons us with love, faithfulness and a hope for an eternal future.  Our crowns do not tarnish, and we do not have to question what will become of us.  Our future is with our King whether on earth or in Heaven.  Our crown guarantees a royal position that can never been taken away.   Someday we will all come out of the darkness of this world and enter into the Light of heaven, our God.

‘There will be no more night.  They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.  And they will reign for ever and ever’ Rev. 22:5.