Boldness Welcomed, Action Necessary

For all the fear and hesitation in Esther's life regarding her approach to the King in Esther 4, the response of the King to her mere appearance suggests she's living completely disconnected from reality. The king sees her and instantly favors her and invites her into the throneroom. Then, when she arrives, he's more than willing to give her whatever she may desire:

Esther 5:3 (ESV) And the king said to her, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom.”

Perhaps we need to realize something about God here. He WANTS us to approach Him with our requests. He wants us to ask and not doubt. He wants us to be bold in our approach and grand in our desires of Him. This whole event reminds me of the parable Jesus tells of the widow who cried out to the unjust judge who cared neither about God nor man but saw that she got justice because she never stopped asking. 

Now what Esther asks for here is NOT what she really wants.

Esther 5:4–6 (ESV) And Esther said, “If it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to a feast that I have prepared for the king.” 5 Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly, so that we may do as Esther has asked.” So the king and Haman came to the feast that Esther had prepared. 6 And as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king said to Esther, “What is your wish? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.”

She doesn't ask for relief from Haman's plan but rather invites them both to a banquet. Perhaps Esther is thinking of getting the king drunk the "grease the skids" so to speak. Really, the text does not say nor infer what gives here. But she's moving in the right direction and that's big. 

Notice again, the King's more-than-willing offering, "Up to half my kingdom", which of course is an ancient idiom meaning "whatever you want". And again, Esther doesn't ask for what she really wants but invites them to another banquet the next day:

Esther 5:7–8 (ESV) Then Esther answered, “My wish and my request is: 8 If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my wish and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come to the feast that I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.”

Now you would think here that Esther is being too hesitant and her lack of boldness is going to cost the Jews their lives or her the opportunity to help. But really, the opposite is true. Her movement (even if vague and unassured) is putting things in motion, albeit in an unexpected manner. Haman goes home in high spirits but Mordecai's lack of "worship" drives him nuts. 

Esther 5:12–13 (ESV) Then Haman said, “Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the feast she prepared. And tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king. 13 Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

The advice from Haman's wife is simple and ominous for him: Build gallows to hang him on in the morning. And he does it! He has them built through the night to prepare for Mordecai's demise. 

What we see in this chapter alone is this: Esther's actions make a difference and set things in motion positively for Israel EVEN though they are hardly that of a dynamic negotiator. She's hesitant, she procrastinates and she beats around the bush. But here's what she's doing - she's acting. 

If you can take one lesson from this chapter it is that... BE BOLD and MOVE... even if your movement is not direct, God will go to work through it. Esther's banquets set Haman up for his demise in a way that's spectacularly ironic. And no one could have predicted it. Neither can you predict what your next act of faith (however feeble) may do for you!

Amen.