“Let go and let God”?

However - it is not quite as simple as this.

BUT, the alternative is even worse - it is all up to us!

The example of Esther and Mordecai, and the instruction of 1 Peter

Faithful Christian living is a partnership…

   A partnership between our obedience and God’s activity. 

Esther as an illustrative companion to the book of 1 Peter. 

1 Peter 3: 8-18 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, (1Pe 3:8-18)

Opening 2 chapters

But now things are getting desperate

Haman the Agagite!

Mordecai's refusal

The resulting impending tragedy!

“There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom. Their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king's laws, so that it is not to the king's profit to tolerate them.  3:8

A “certain people”,

If it please the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay 10,000 talents of silver into the hands of those who have charge of the king's business, that they may put it into the king's treasuries.” So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. 3:9,10

For a law was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king's signet ring. Letters were sent by couriers to all the king's provinces with instruction to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.  3:12,13

 Do we just let go and let God or is it up to us to take control and fix things...

BOTH!

When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and he cried out with a loud and bitter cry. 4:1

And in every province, wherever the king's command and his decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and many of them lay in sackcloth and ashes. 4:3

How do you demonstrate dependence on God and desperation for Him to act?

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 1 Peter.3:13

So take heart. Have hope. And be faithful.           

BUT HOW?

1.  Facts are important!

And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king's treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her 4:7,8

  If we want to work in partnership with God – we need to be well informed.

  Find the facts! 

2. We have a responsibility to act.

And Mordecai said: command her to go to the king to beg his favor and plead with him on behalf of her people. 4:8

Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 3:9

Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 3:15

BUT - It doesn’t mean things always get better.

 “All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.” 4:11

So ask - Do we trust God?

          Are we living our lives based on the truth of who He is?

3.  God can do it alone, but he invites us to participate with Him

Then Mordecai [said to] Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” 4:13,14 

Why are we invited to participate with God?

It is a privilege and honour. 

4. Our response is to trust and obey:

“Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” 4:16

Or as Peter reminds us: For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer 3:!2

Therefore we should; turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. 3:11

Trust and Obey!

For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 3:17,18

CONCLUSION

“Let go and let God”.?

But God chooses to work in partnership with his people.

   It is always ‘both and’ - All of God and all of us!