One of the coolest things for a Christian to witness is when the forces and agents against the LORD God are moved by Him in preparation for His Works to be completed. The righteous people of the LORD God carry out the works that the LORD God Wills; but often, those works cannot be accomplished until the conditions and times are just right.
The knowledge of the timing of the works of the LORD God is essential for Christians. It is this timing that allows for the preparation of all of the players and actions to come together to ensure the success of the Works for Him.
This preparation is exemplified in the story of Esther. She was advised by her father that the Jews were being persecuted and threatened with death by the wicked Haman, and she was in a perfect position to stop it. Esther was married to King Ahasuerus, and he loved her above all others, and had made her Queen. Still, there was protocol to follow, and just to enter into his presence without being summoned risked a death sentence to her. Esther had to make her husband aware of the wicked acts of his chief Prince Haman, and his threats against the LORD God’s people, but to blurt it out in the wrong time would result in her own death, and the empowerment of the Prince. So Esther began the process of doing a great work for the LORD God and saving His People, by letting Him know of her efforts, and her relinquishment of control to God’s timing.
1. She asked the Jews to fast and pray. Her father, Mordecai, led the Jews to accomplish the fast and bring God’s attention to the movement to protect both himself from the gallows, and the destruction of God’s People.
2. She went to her husband and arranged a great feast for the next two days, to be attended by only her, King Ahasuerus and the wicked prince Haman.
Then the timing of God and his preparation of the players begin…
1. Ahasuerus was prepared by God to receive the distressing information and understand the deep implications by causing his sleep to be disrupted. Because he was unable to sleep, he commanded the book of records to be brought before him to read. Within those records, was the report of Mordecai’s loyalty and great actions to honor and protect the King. Ahasuerus’s heart was moved to reward Mordecai’s service.
2. The wicked prince Haman was prepared by God to pronounce the reward to be given to Mordecai by allowing Haman to think that that the King was preparing to reward him instead. Haman mistakenly assumed that the King was asking what reward should be given him, when in fact Ahasuerus was preparing to reward Mordecai. Haman recommended that the man in the King’s favor be given glory and authority, and he excitedly prepared to receive those honors.
3. The faithful servant of God, Mordecai, was prepared by Him to receive the promotion to prince, and to lead and protect His people, when the timing of God caused the works of Him to be completed at the hands of Esther.
All the while, Esther waited, until the LORD GOD had made the preparations for His Works to be carried out in His time. She prepared the banquet, the King prepared to sleep, Haman prepared to be honored, and Mordecai prepared his people. In God’s time, Mordecai was made prince, and Haman was hung in the gallows that he had ordered to be prepared for Mordecai.
Today, I wait in anticipation of a great work of the LORD God’s to be completed, and the restoration of the integrity and honor of one of His people. I have witnessed His preparing many people, some righteous and some wicked, to bring His Work together in a platform that will eventually lead to one of His Works being done. And when I grow impatient for this holy and just act to be completed, I remind myself of the story of Esther, and how critical it is that we allow the timing of the LORD God to move at His Will. It’s a matter of time, His time, that is going to make the difference, and bring the most glory to His Ways.
