Esther 5:7. “Then answered Esther, and said, ‘My petition and my request is;”
WHAT IS THY REQUEST? I ask but do I really want the answer? Am I afraid that I’m the one that my Lord will choose? The need is great around me; the voices of the people make it clear there is a need. If my answer is to stop all that I’ve been doing, and make a change; what will I gain or lose? My Father God, I know that in this life I live, I will not live in doubt when to Thee alone I heed; The problems that confront me are my age, and things committed to, that still are left undone. These are obligations made over many years of labor, that seem to me to be not yet fulfilled, Or partially finished at the best – and still I wonder, “If I don’t do that work, is there another one?” Is it possible I am impeding the progress of some waiting servant wanting to do his Master’s will?
Here and now there is a field untouched by hands of harvest laborers who are not found. The season to reap is passing by and the heads of wheat waiting for the sickle, start to bow. I haven’t a freshness in my brain to quickly gather verbs and tenses, and memorize the nouns
That must be known and placed in order so that to the lost the message of salvation I can show. Should I leave to others the problem of the harvest left unreaped, and go my way, and watch and pray? I do pray Lord, for laborers to see and learn and know and go; it seems they’re going to another place. But what about the millions here I see with older eyes, am I to try to learn new words – how to say The Truths of God in a language I know not, and with young laborers, try to keep the pace?
Esther knew, the urgency of the moment motivated her to act and put into words, her hurting heart. I feel too, Lord, the need around does not leave me unmoved as I look ahead to fleeting years. There’s not much time for me to begin again to do the job I see needs doing; I fear to make a start, That beginning to open doors without Thy mind made clear, I find my hand turns the knob: not Yours. She acted in cautious faith; I too know what that faith is like, for I have found that I’m not bold. Her request was couched in means unusual, but her goal was plain – people will die if I don’t speak. From the view of moving through life learning from day to day to work hard before I’m too old; People must hear the Gospel; my request is that young people loving God, will seek lost souls to reach.
“I am still not sure Father, if I am to try to learn Spanish or not. It seems to me it would be a waste of my time and others if I stopped what I am doing to try to open Latino doors in this country. I will seek, by Thy grace to reach out to young men and women and urge them to look on the white harvest fields and step out in the full assurance of faith in Thee. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”