She and her friends had prayed and fasted for three days, and the moment had come for her to risk her life to save her people from certain death.
Her uncle had challenged her to believe that she had become queen for such a time as this.
She took a deep breath, said one last prayer, and entered the King’s court without being summoned by him.
Would he be offended by her boldness and withhold his scepter?
If he did, she would be put to death on the spot.
But, if she found favor with him, he would extend his royal scepter toward her allowing her to enter his presence, and she would live and her people, too.
Such is the account of Queen Esther’s brave intercession for her fellow Jewish exiles.
Many years later, another Jew, the Apostle Paul wrote:
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand.” (Romans 5:1-2)
Because we stand in grace, God’s only attitude toward us is one of grace.
He is always loving us and relating to us through His grace.
Notice we stand in grace, not the Law.
We are no longer under the Law, but under grace.
The word access indicates having the “privilege of approach” to someone of a high rank.
We have the privilege of approaching and entering into the very presence of the King of Kings, and enjoying an indescribable position of favor with God our Father because through Jesus we stand in the sphere of grace.
Since we are accepted in Christ by grace, we are near and dear to God as Jesus is. The Father extends His golden scepter to us and welcomes us as His dear sons and daughters, not strangers.
Our standing in grace is as perfect and permanent as Jesus’ standing, since we are in Him!
We can now draw on the inexhaustible riches of God’s grace!
Since we are always in an atmosphere of grace, we don’t have to walk around like we are on eggshells.
We are not on a performance-based acceptance with God, but a Christ-based acceptance.
Let’s suppose Jesus was seated next to you, and I asked the Father which one He loved the most, which one was more acceptable and righteous, what He would say?
He would say that we are equally loved, accepted and righteous!
We are in an atmosphere of grace with God and if we accept and believe this, then we can enjoy our relationship with the Lord and extend the same atmosphere of grace to others.
If we live in an atmosphere of grace, we will not be bound up in knots and walk on eggshells in our relationships, because grace relaxes us and frees us up to be all Christ wants us to be.
Beloved, let us rest in His glorious grace!
Blessings!
Pastor Ken Keeler, Director of Church Ministries