WEEK 4, DAY 27: MOURNING TO HOPE
From Mourning to Hope by Prescott Khair, Bowling Green SDA Church
Scripture Reference: Esther 4
Prayer
Please join me in praying. As we pray through Esther chapter 4 today in our WePray40 journey. Please bow your heads.
For such as time as this, God. For such a time as this we come before you and pray. For such a time as this we recognize that some of us have been placed in positions to be active for you. Lord we know that the beginning of this chapter, in Esther chapter 4. There was mourning and there was sadness but that chapter ends with hope and a promise. We recognize that although your name is never mentioned in the book of Esther on in these chapters you were working. And so God even though it seems there is mourning all around us. I remember that you are working and that you are a God that can turn mourning into dancing. As the song says you turn graves into gardens. You’re the God who has power to save. You’re the God who has power to turn our worst situations into the brightest and most spectacular celebrations.
God this is you who we are talking about. The same God who defeated death on the cross. The same God who rose from the grave and is alive and is our King. You are help and you are the one from whom our strength and energy comes from. And because of this God, I come to you. In our situations today as we there is mourning and sadness in many lives. As we see there is times for fear. As we see there is times that we feel defeat. God we turn to you because nothing is impossible in your purpose, in your plan, in your power. Nothing stands in between of you and accomplishing what you need to get done.
So God, as there’s mourning I pray and thank you because I know that joy will come after the mourning. Lord as there’s darkness I thank you because you give light that cuts through it. God for such a time as this, for such a time as this as the text tells. For such a time as this it might be that we are instruments that you want to use to bring about your expected solution and purpose. And Lord we’re humbled because who are we that you are mindful of us? But God you still choose us even though we have nothing to bring to the table. But somehow you choose us and you use us as long as we are humble and so today we make sure that we bow down before you. Lord take away our kingdom and let your kingdom be built. Because for such a time as this, Lord, we know that you are working. And it might just be through us that you have put us in a place to work for your good. And so God for such a time as this we’re asking you that your Spirit lead us to where you’re already working so that we might join in you in your work with you. God for such a time as this help and deliverance for those who are hurting. Hope and a promise for those who have been devastated. Joy and comfort for those who have been mourning. Strength and victory for those who have felt defeated. It could come through you and Lord you empower us to be deliverers of that message. Not just deliverers of that message but active agents in this world. So God wherever we are; wherever we’ve been place we’re humble before you and we say, echoing the words of Isaiah; “Here I am, send me Lord.”
The difficult is real. The struggle is real. The challenge is real. The fear is real sometimes. We recognize that standing up for you. Puts us in places where we are attacked. Puts us in places of uncomfort and discomfort. So God, we acknowledge these aspects being active and at work for you but we recognize that you power and your promise is greater than and discomfort, discouragement, or defeat that the enemy could try to throw at us.
So God, we cling onto your promises and we hold fast to you and we know that we you we will only rise. We know that you are good. We know that you are a promise keeper. And Lord we can take that promise to the bank. Help me to hold onto you. Help us to hold onto you. Help us to see you. Help us to ride this out to the end with you. We’re praying all of these things today, as read through the chapter, and pray over the words we see. The book of Esther is powerful. It’s filled with your hope in trying and difficult circumstances, much like our own world today. Much like our own world today we can’t see you present all the time. And like the book of Esther we don’t always see your name active but we know that you are working. And we rely on that knowledge and that hope. And so we turn all of our eyes and attention and focus and energy fully on you. The only that can satisfy and the only one that can give us good. We love you Jesus, in your name we pray. Amen.
