For such a time as this!

Esther 4:14-

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to the royal position for such a time as this.

The book of Esther is famous for the verse quoted above. This is one verse that humbles me out of my human arrogance and pride and reminds me that I am not all that in a bag of chips. It reminds me that God’s work will be done inspite and despite of who I think I am. My take out is usually that it is a privilege and honour to be used of God as Esther stepped up and stood in the gap for the Jews.

It also reminds me of the Mordecai’s of this world who will tell us the truths that will make us take that plunge. It is the above statement that led Esther to say that she will go to the King without his summons, an act which was equivalent to treason. She called for a fast and said even if she will die, let her die. It is this act of courage that saved the Jewish exiles in Babylon.

Every generation enjoys privileges bestowed on them by the older folks. My generation in Kenya did not fight for independence yet we have enjoyed the fruits of it. We are the generation that finished off the agitation for a greater democratic space that was started in the late eighties. Every generation has a responsibility to make things better for themselves and for those who will come after them. You were created for such a time as this, step out; you cannot coin an excuse good enough to excuse yourself.

As much as I am humbled by the fact that I am dispensable, I have a duty to step out and do what I need to do. Meanwhile you need to seek the face of God and fast and pray as an anchor to the whole process. Mordecai was a man who through simple acts saved the Israelites from annihilation schemes of Haman the Agagite. This is insight that if one wants to have an impact of change in this world you must pray to God to always keep your sight ahead of the pack.

This is the time.

Boaz and Ruth: True Love Means Letting Go

True Love Means Letting Go

I read a note on facebook about loving enough to let go and I was fascinated. The text concentrated on agape love, where a father figure loves a child. It was insightful just how God loves us yet He still allows us free will. T.D. Jakes in his famous blessing full viral mail ‘LET IT GO’ talks about the gift of goodbye. It doesn’t make one mean or resentful, but is good for the heart.

Romantic love as the world presents to us is so skewed. The bible has several representation of true love; Paul did not have to look anywhere to write to the Corinthians the words of 1 Corinthians chapter 13. He had good reference from the word of God.

Abraham in Genesis 13 loved his nephew Lot enough to agree to part with him and let him choose the Jordan Valley that was full of pasture, while he remained in Canaan. Yet in chapter 14 he sets out to rescue Lot who had been captured. In chapter 18 he pleads with God not to destroy everybody in Sodom because Lot lived there. When God asked for his son Isaac as a sacrifice, he was willing to give him over. He loved Lot and Isaac enough to let go of them.

I love reading the books of Ruth and Ecclesiastes, one because they are short and I can easily read through and two because they are exciting. As I do HATUA, I went through the book of Ruth again and one thing came screaming at me. It was obvious Boaz’s feeling for Ruth was a typical love at first sight story. The way he went out of his way to provide for her and what he said to her on his threshing floor.

What Boaz said to Ruth in response to her advances was mind blowing. In this age and time, the fact that a lady has given in to your subtle advances is an excuse to take advantage of her feelings. Boaz is a rare kind of man, no wonder he represents Christ’s redemption mission (to jews and gentiles) many years later. Boaz says in Ruth 3:12; “It is true that I am a closer relative and I am responsible for you, but there is a man who is a closer relative than I am……….. in the morning I will find out whether or not he will take responsibility for you. If so well and good, if not I swear by the living God that I will take responsibility….”

Yes, he went through the process of obeying the law as prescribed in the word of God with wisdom knowing which side of his slice was buttered. In the end he ended up with the woman he claimed everybody in Bethlehem knew is a fine woman. What caught me is that Boaz loved Ruth enough to put his interests on the line and let go. In the end, he married her and through his lineage we got two great men who shaped Israel and the world, David and Jesus Christ.

November 18th 2010: kenyatta otieno