Scripture profiles the lives of two great persons who served God in crisis: Joseph, son of Israel, and Esther, cousin of Mordecai. The difference between them was one of AWARENESS. Esther had to be reminded that her position as Queen may have been God’s gift JUST SO she could serve God Esther 4:14. Though only a slave in Potiphar’s house Joseph refused the offer of Potiphar’s wife Genesis 39:6d-10.
God called Esther to a HIGH discipleship, but Joseph to a HIGHER one. She served in a role fraught with possible danger. But Mordecai had to remind her that her rise to prominence demanded responsibility to God as well as luxury for her. Joseph had no high position to hazard when tempted to engage in a secret sin. Nevertheless, he resisted it by a desire to live a righteous discipleship, whatever his earthly station. He models what we see in other Biblical personalities. For example, neither aged Elizabeth nor young Mary knew the high honor God would give them as mother of John the Baptist and Jesus. But each lived in a daily relationship with God that Prepared them to serve when called. Sometimes we aren’t ready when called by ignoring opportunities to GROW in Christ-likeness. Peter, Andrew, James and John didn’t know God’s plans for them when they traveled from Galilee to Judea to hear the preaching of John the Baptist. But they were WHERE Jesus could find them when beginning the recruitment of his disciples. Sometimes we aren’t where the Holy Spirit CAN reach and teach us. We many never be in Esther’s situation. We often find ourselves in Joseph’s. Either way we have a privilege but, NOT KNOWING that GOD may call us to serve, but KNOWING he deserves a royal discipleship every day, involves us in a higher discipleship. Most of us spend our lives as unknown, unheralded disciples. And, in that awareness, may consider ourselves as less important. But if we produce a Christ-like life JUST BECAUSE he deserves it, we have grown as a persevering believer. To be IN a POSITION to serve God in a crisis offers a rare privilege. To have no such opportunity, to consider every day just as another day to serve Jesus, and to do it AS IF it were a crisis situation, and we stood in “the breech” for God, is the higher discipleship we can all achieve. Amen.
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