Bold Actions and Dauntless Faith

picture from www.shereadstruth.com

Before going any further I would strongly urge you to click on the picture above and head over to She Reads Truth to read the Introduction to their study on Esther.  It is going to be amazing!

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."

~Genesis 50:20~

The passage above from Genesis is a quote from Joseph to his brothers regarding the time they had sold him into slavery.  His brothers selfishly wanted Joseph out of their lives and their father's life, and didn't really care what happened to him once he was a slave in Egypt.  But, what they had meant to hurt Joseph, God was able to redeem Joseph and used him in Egypt to save many lives from starving to death.  If you want to read Joseph's story, look up Genesis 37 - 50.  It's a great read and an amazing story!

⁵ Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, ⁶ who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin^[a] king of Judah. ⁷ Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.

~Esther 2:5-7~ 

What I love about Esther's story is the same thing I love about Joseph's story - and Moses and Rahab and David and even Jesus.

These, with the exception of Jesus, are just plain old ordinary, very unlikely to be anything great, people.  Jesus, on the surface, also seemed quite ordinary and nothing noteworthy.

Joseph: The 11th son of Jacob - a shepherd - sold into slavery because his brothers hated him

Moses: A Jewish boy who was raised as Egyptian royalty and questioned and doubted God

Rahab: A prostitute living in Jericho

David: The youngest brother - a shepherd - and a harp player

Esther: A girl - an orphan in exile in Babylon 

Jesus: A carpenter

All of these names, among many others, don't have the pedigree to be anything more than what I wrote.  But, God empowered them to do great things!  Their "bold actions and dauntless faith led to the rescue" of many others in various ways - but they all moved in faith.

Esther's cousin, Mordecai reminded her that her story might be bigger than just her story when he said, "And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14).

Do you ever question your situation or circumstance?  

Do you believe that God can use you for something bigger than yourself?

Do you move with "bold actions and dauntless faith?"

The question about "bold actions and dauntless faith" have been haunting me all day.  I read these words on She Reads Truth this morning, and I cannot forget them.  These are words that I want to describe me, but I'm not thinking that I live these out daily.

I'm excited to dig into Esther and will be searching my own heart as I go, praying for God to empower and strengthen me to be bold and dauntless!