Key Verse: "Go, gather together all
the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither
eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast
likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to
the law: and if I perish, I perish."
- Esther 4:16 KJV
When we are in darkness, under distress of conscience, or
when guilt lies hard and heavy upon the soul, these things do, and must
until removed, keep us back from the Lord. But are we ever to give heed to
these enemies of our soul's peace? Are we never to press through the crowd?
How was it with the man who was paralyzed for so many years? He might
forever have lain helpless upon his bed, had he not been brought into the
presence of Jesus. How with the woman with the issue of blood? She might
forever have tarried on the skirts of the crowd, a poor, polluted,
self-condemned wretch. But she pressed through the crowd, and got to touch
the hem of Jesus' garment.
So with us. Shall we ever dwell in the outskirts--in the outer court of the temple? Shall we merely walk round Zion's walls and tarry at her doors, or shall we venture into the holiest itself? Shall we, driven out by fear, act like Cain, and go out from the presence of the Lord? Or shall we, with all our sins and discouragements, still draw near? The Apostle encourages us to come with holy boldness to the throne of grace, and to venture into the presence of the King of kings.
Esther would have ruined herself and all her nation had she given way to the weakness of the flesh; but she said, "I will go in unto the king; and if I perish, I perish." She went in with that resolution. The king held forth the scepter; Esther touched it, and she and the people were saved. So in grace. Shall we ever keep away through guilt, and sin, and shame? Now the Holy Spirit not only in the word of truth, encourages, but he himself from time to time enables us to draw near. And when we draw near under his divine operations, we feel the blessedness of so doing. Liberty is given, access, holy freedom, a spirit of prayer, power to take hold of God, to wrestle for the blessing, and sometimes to agonize with earnest sighs and groans and the energy of one of old--"I will not let you go except you bless me."
