Don’t let others do the work God sent you to do. If you forfeit the work, you’re handing the job over to someone else. God didn’t make a mistake by tasking you with the job, but should you choose not to do it, God will make sure His work gets done by someone who is willing!!
The story of Mordecai and Esther comes to mind. Haman had schemed to get the King to sign a death sentence against all the Jews. What Haman didn’t know was that Queen Esther was a Jew as well. Queen Esther’s uncle, Mordecai, implored her to go before King Ahasuerus and plead for the Israelites’ lives.
The Queen reminded her uncle about the law that stated if you walked into the King’s inner court unannounced and he didn’t hold out the golden scepter, you were killed. Additionally, she hadn’t seen the King for a month. Mordecai’s answer was if you don’t say anything now, then deliverance will come from another source. But don’t think you’re going to escape death. Maybe this is why you’re in your position – for such a time as this.
That’s when Esther embraced her mission. She asked everyone to fast and pray with her for three days, and afterward, she would go in unannounced to the King. She also said, “If I perish, I perish.” but she was going in – whatever would happen, at least she did her part.
God blessed her. The golden sceptre was raised! She shared Haman was poised to have her killed, along with millions of other Jews, which opened the door of deliverance for the Israelites and destruction for Haman!
Now, your job might not look like Esther’s, but every job God assigns is significant! Consider the servant to Naaman’s wife. The unnamed young lady had been captured from Israel by a Syrian army under a captain named Naaman, who happened to be a leper. The girl became Naaman’s wife’s servant. This young lady was amazing! Her job was to serve her captor. While doing so, she began to talk about how if Naaman was around the prophet Elisha, he’d be healed from leprosy. Long story short, Naaman was healed because a young lady spoke about what God could do.
I recall early in my freelance newspaper writing days, I would have a dream about a story idea. The next morning, I’d think about pitching the idea to my editor, but then I would back down out of fear of being rejected. A week later, I saw an article with the story idea I had in my dream with someone else’s byline. I couldn’t believe it. A few nights later, I had another dream of a story idea. In about a week or so, I opened the paper, and there was the story I dreamed about. This happened a few more times. The last time I had a story idea dream, the following day, I got up, pitched the idea to my editor, and it was approved. I wrote and submitted the story, and a week later, it was in the paper with my byline.
Whatever God has given you to do, allow that to rise above the noise of giants (sound, sight, thoughts, or actions). Don’t forfeit your job. God selected you, so He will enable you to complete it!! So, what if there are giants? God assigned you to defeat them!!
Get busy doing your Father’s business!!
When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;2 And came even before the king’s gate: for none might enter into the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth.3 And in every province, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.4 So Esther’s maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not.5 Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king’s chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.6 So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king’s gate.7 And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.8 Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people.9 And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.10 Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai;11 All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or women, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.12 And they told to Mordecai Esther’s words.13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews.14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?15 Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,16 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 4:1-16 (KJV)
Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.2 And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife.3 And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.4 And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.5 And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy. 2 Kings 5:1-6 (KJV)
In the Master’s Service,
Author/Pastor Michele D Robertson
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Matthew 11:28-29 (KJV)