Wednesday, February 9, 2011

John Piper quoting from Esther, "If I perish, I perish"



    • God, turn ten thousand women from Oprah to Esther with five magnificent words: "If I perish I perish." (Esther 4:16)

      4 hours ago via HootSuite ·  ·  · 
    How many times I have to make a decision against the better conventional wisdom, in the eyes of the world, turn on myself but in private prayed, "If I perish, I perish". So when I see John Piper put it up, it struck a chord with me and went on resonating. 

    I have some friends who are worse off than me in this world but they never lack anything. God has always provided. I am thankful to be given the opportunity to support some of them. 

    Until the end of our time here, there will always be occasions to say, "If I perish, I perish". As you grow in faith, a time might come where there will not be a trapped ram to take Isaac's place. Your "Isaac" will be sacrificed because the true sacrifice had already been offered and we are joined to him through our own sacrifice.

    The name Esther has been special to me. First as an unusual and fascinating story like Joseph was also, and sometime later I suggested it to a friend who was adamant about wanting to change her name. I prepared a list of names for her, with Esther right at the top. With the passage of time, other names have become as special as Esther. Along the way, I have linked Ruth with Esther, in fact as taking a step beyond.

    Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried

    And I have found and persuaded my daughter to read a dramatization of this story by Francine Rivers. There is a deeper one written by Walter Wangerin but for now, she has found it to difficult to handle. I pray that Walter Wangerin would successfully beat back his cancer.

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