Don’t Hold Back

Today’s readings contain a distinct message repeated in three different ways. Essentially the message is: “Don’t hold back.”

The Book of Esther is a dramatic story about a nobody from nowhere raised by a simple, godly man named Mordecai. In an extraordinary act, King Xerxes’ chooses Esther to be his queen.   She withholds her identity as a Jew in deference to her uncle Mordecai’s wishes.  With a history of persecution as long as the Jews’, no doubt Mordecai gives his advice to protect her.  In a short span of time, Esther receives extraordinary influence over Persia.  Yet this privilege does not come without cost.  It comes with the high price of responsibility.  She is responsible to her people and to her God. Within five years of her promotion, Esther’s people, the Jews, receive a death sentence.  It is an unfair, unjust ruling that threatens genocide.  And the sentence applies to Esther as well.  Maybe her title will save her, maybe not.  While she may be able to continue hiding her identity for awhile, then again she might be found out.  Her uncle Mordecai challenges her, “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).

He’s telling her, “Don’t hold back, Esther!”

In Isaiah 12 we read about the Lord’s day of Salvation.

And you will say in that day, “I thank you, God. You were angry but your anger wasn’t forever. You withdrew your anger and moved in and comforted me. “Yes, indeed—God is my salvation.
I trust, I won’t be afraid. God—yes God!—is my strength and song, best of all, my salvation!”Joyfully you’ll pull up buckets of water from the wells of salvation. And as you do it, you’ll say, “Give thanks to God. Call out his name. Ask him anything! Shout to the nations, tell them what he’s done, spread the news of his great reputation!“Sing praise-songs to God. He’s done it all! Let the whole earth know what he’s done! Raise the roof! Sing your hearts out, O Zion! The Greatest lives among you: The Holy of Israel.”

Because of God’s great salvation, the people rejoice. Sing out! Shout out! Let the world know how great God is! Let your life be an out-loud life of gratitude.  Let go of your fears of what people will think. Make God famous in the world as He rightly deserves! In other words, “Don’t hold back!”

Lastly, in Hebrews 9 we see how God has changed the rules for how to access Him.  We see how much greater Jesus’ sacrifice is then the relentless cycle of animal sacrifices prescribed under the Old Testament. Instead of  earthly sin covering us and a temporary stay of judgment that the blood of animals provided, Jesus provides a heavenly and eternal cleansing that establishes a permanent amnesty for those who come to him. No more shadows and types, the real thing has come! Jesus did this through his sacrifice on the cross. He then entered into heaven to offer his blood to God as payment for sin. Since that time, it’s been a new day with God! There’s a new relationship with Him that’s available.  There’s nothing separating us from him anymore.  It’s possible because of the total sufficiency of what Jesus has done. Nothing can be added to it. Nothing more is needed. He gives us an access to God never before imagined.    In Christ, you’re forgiven and free to worship and love God with all your life. “Don’t hold back!”