Stepping In

Then Esther spoke again to the king, fell this feet, wept and implored him to avert the evil scheme of Haman the Agagite and his plot which he had devised against the Jews… ‘For how can I endure to see the calamity which will befall my people, and how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?’–Esther 8:6

This is the attitude that I think believers should have about non-Christians. Those who are not children of God are living as prisoners of the world, and Jesus has sent us to liberate them, just as Esther sought to set her people free from the death grip of Haman.

When I read this verse, it reminded me of another passage we talked about in Apologetics class the other day. I’ve breezed through this passage many times, never realizing its inspiring message. Paul shares his deep love for his people in Romans 9:1-3:

I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow an unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh…”

How crazy is that?! Paul loved his people so much, that he would rather spend eternity in hell if it meant that his people would have salvation. Maybe one day, God will grant me a deep love like this, but I for sure don’t have that right now. I think Paul and Esther are very much alike in that they would go through any adversity or trial in order to see their people saved. This kind of love can only come from God, but we should pray for this love constantly. My youth pastor is very passionate about the idea of being “broken for the lost”, and this is what I desire to have. Just as Esther knelt before her king, begging for the salvation of her people, so should we kneel before our Heavenly King praying for the salvation of those around us.

God and I had a lot of fun this morning as I read Esther, because then He showed me Romans 9:1-3, and then He reminded me of a passage that has stayed with me since I heard it for the first time freshmen year:

It came about, however, when the congregation had assembled against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tent of meeting, and behold, the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord appeared. Then Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting, and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them instantly.’ Then they fell on their faces. Moses said to Aaron, ‘Take your censer and put in it fire from the altar, and lay incense on it; then bring it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone forth from the Lord, the plague has begun!’ Then Aaron took it as Moses had spoken, and ran into the midst of the assembly, for behold, the plague had begun among the people. So he put on the incense and made atonement for the people. He took his stand between the dead and the living, so that the plague was checked. –Numbers 16:42-48

 

 

This passage convicts me every time I read it. God was about to pour out His wrath on those who were assembling against Moses and Aaron. But Moses, who loved his people so much, sent Aaron to make atonement for the people, and stopped the plague. There are millions of people in the world today who are under the “plague” of sin, and God has given us the power to do the job of stepping in and stopping the plague. We as Christians claim that we love everyone, including non-Christians, but do we live that love out? Do we love unbelievers so much that we would be willing to do anything in order to see God rescue them from their imprisonment?