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My Closing Thoughts on Chapter 4
There’s lesson after lesson in this study, isn’t there? It seems that every time I open up the book, God is showing me something that I missed before. It’s a gentle reminder that God’s Word is living and active, continually shaping our hearts and opening our eyes to truth within the pages of this sacred text. This week was no different. Even though I thought I had gleaned everything I could when I was writing the study, there it was – something new standing out to me again.
When Mordecai, warns Esther, “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape” (Esther 4:13, NIV), he draws a line in the sand. It is a stark reminder that physical presence in a place of honor or sanctity does not guarantee spiritual safety.
This brings us to a profound realization. Simply being in God’s house (a church or a religious community) doesn’t provide salvation or escape from the condemnation of sin. Romans 5:19 (NIV) resonates with this truth: “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.”
Esther’s position in the king’s palace did not shield her from the threat against her people, just as our association with a church does not make us immune to sin’s consequences. It’s a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, our obedience to Him, and His righteousness that saves us.
Esther’s declaration, “If I perish, I perish,” reveals a selfless surrender, a willingness to pick up her cross, echoing the call of Jesus to His followers. She chose to risk her life for her people, pointing us to Christ, who alone can save us. Her courage, underpinned by her faith, is a timeless lesson for all of us.
In our walk with God, we recognize that courage, faith, and obedience are not mere virtues but a calling, a path that leads us closer to Christ. May we find the strength to choose that path as we face our fears with the same determination and trust in the Lord that Esther did. May we recognize that our salvation is not based on where we are, but Whom we have believed in, and may we strive to follow Christ, who alone can make us righteous.
You are loved by an almighty God,
Darlene Schacht
The Time-Warp Wife
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I can’t seem to locate the table of contents link anymore to print out the journal pages. Have those been removed?
Hi Pat, I’m emailing you with the link you are looking for.