180 days... I can't even hang for an hour and neither can my pocket book; however, the king could because he had the wealth to show off and that's what he was doing.
And after the 6 months of extravagance, (really, where is the $ coming from) the king decides to have a week long banquet.
The liquor was flowing, good feelings were boundless and the king was full of joy, so he said to his servants, "Hey, let's get my wife out here to enjoy all these festivities."
The servants hurry off to get the queen and quickly return without her.
She said, No, I ain't going to do it.
And the king was pissed!!!!
Yea, I know women have rights. A woman can say no and not cause a world war. Sometimes we just want to hang with our friends at home and do nothing (which she was doing at the time of the summon).
Wearing heels, a tight dress and a crown isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Heels hurt. Beauty hurts. Tight dresses always make me feel bloated... But that's neither here nor there.
I understand why the queen might have declined the king's offer but let's look at the king's perspective for a minute.
He spent half the year, throwing parties after parties in his kingdom. Each event more extravagant than the last. And to close the night out, he decides to show off his beautiful queen.
The king probably thought that his queen, his wife was his crowning glory. He delighted in his wife and he wanted the kingdom, who was gathered at this big bash, to experience his happiness too.
And she said, No, I ain't going to do it.
Wouldn't you be pissed too?! To think that you saved the best for last and the best couldn't be bothered by you...
Did I mention the king was mad?
Well, if I didn't, he was steaming and he consulted his advisers and they said, "Dude, you have to nip this in the bud cause if word gets out, then all the women will follow the queen's lead and there'll be chaos by the end of the night."
And the king listened to them and dethroned his queen and sent out an issue reading, all men are head of the household.
Then the next day, when he's probably nursing his hangover and his regret over the rash decision, his advisers go ahead with a national search for the next queen of Susa.
Yea, it's harsh and yea, the queen probably had good reasons to decline his offer but every action has a consequence, good or bad. And the king was mad!
So how much more would it grieve God that you keep saying no to Him?
Before He laid down the foundations of life, the King of kings, the Lord of the lords, the Creator of the universe thought of your purpose and created you.
Throughout history and throughout your life, God prepared the world for you, His crowning glory. He set up the opportunities, lined up the people to bless you, stored up riches just for you and you can't show up?!
He paid with His Son's life to give you a new life, a life of abundance and you can't show up?!
For what?
Why aren't you saying yes to His calling?
Because... I can't even think of any excuses. There is nothing that can separate you from God. Nothing should be able to.
Not your past, present, future
Not your fears, insecurities, lack
Not your dreams, hopes, reality
Not your family, friends, enemies
Not your decorum, tradition, culture
Not even the devil could create a lasting wedge between you and God.
Why are you saying no?
I can't even think of a reason why I allow my fears to hold myself back from God. Although I am not qualified, although I have no clue as to what He's called me to do, it doesn't matter because He who calls us is faithful to do it.
He's going to do it. God is going to do it. God, (you know Him, right?) God is going to do it. One more time so that it can sink in, God will do it. And He invites us to be a part of His story.
So come in, show up and join the party, God is saving a seat for you.
And you obeying God, you showing up is not only for you; it's also for the people who are tied to your presence at the party. It's for those who look up to you, it's for those who are at the receiving end of your obedience.
It's not only about you.
And the cost of showing up pales in comparison of not showing up. Your disobedience costs you His presence in your life. You'll be cutoff from God; you'll feel as though He's nowhere to be found when you were the one who stayed in your room and didn't show up.
Open the door and step out into the unknown, step into the purpose God has for you.
You'll probably stumble, you'll probably stutter, you'll probably spill some drink on your dress or shirt but that's okay, okay?
Because God is beaming with pride that you graced the party with your presence. This is what He's always imagined: you fumbling around becoming the person He created you to be under His careful gaze.
God doesn't mind the mess. He's happy that you showed up. Everything else, He'll take care of.
Trust Him.
The servants hurry off to get the queen and quickly return without her.
She said, No, I ain't going to do it.
And the king was pissed!!!!
Yea, I know women have rights. A woman can say no and not cause a world war. Sometimes we just want to hang with our friends at home and do nothing (which she was doing at the time of the summon).
Wearing heels, a tight dress and a crown isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Heels hurt. Beauty hurts. Tight dresses always make me feel bloated... But that's neither here nor there.
I understand why the queen might have declined the king's offer but let's look at the king's perspective for a minute.
He spent half the year, throwing parties after parties in his kingdom. Each event more extravagant than the last. And to close the night out, he decides to show off his beautiful queen.
The king probably thought that his queen, his wife was his crowning glory. He delighted in his wife and he wanted the kingdom, who was gathered at this big bash, to experience his happiness too.
And she said, No, I ain't going to do it.
Wouldn't you be pissed too?! To think that you saved the best for last and the best couldn't be bothered by you...
Did I mention the king was mad?
Well, if I didn't, he was steaming and he consulted his advisers and they said, "Dude, you have to nip this in the bud cause if word gets out, then all the women will follow the queen's lead and there'll be chaos by the end of the night."
And the king listened to them and dethroned his queen and sent out an issue reading, all men are head of the household.
Then the next day, when he's probably nursing his hangover and his regret over the rash decision, his advisers go ahead with a national search for the next queen of Susa.
Yea, it's harsh and yea, the queen probably had good reasons to decline his offer but every action has a consequence, good or bad. And the king was mad!
So how much more would it grieve God that you keep saying no to Him?
Before He laid down the foundations of life, the King of kings, the Lord of the lords, the Creator of the universe thought of your purpose and created you.
Throughout history and throughout your life, God prepared the world for you, His crowning glory. He set up the opportunities, lined up the people to bless you, stored up riches just for you and you can't show up?!
He paid with His Son's life to give you a new life, a life of abundance and you can't show up?!
For what?
Why aren't you saying yes to His calling?
Because... I can't even think of any excuses. There is nothing that can separate you from God. Nothing should be able to.
Not your past, present, future
Not your fears, insecurities, lack
Not your dreams, hopes, reality
Not your family, friends, enemies
Not your decorum, tradition, culture
Not even the devil could create a lasting wedge between you and God.
Why are you saying no?
I can't even think of a reason why I allow my fears to hold myself back from God. Although I am not qualified, although I have no clue as to what He's called me to do, it doesn't matter because He who calls us is faithful to do it.
He's going to do it. God is going to do it. God, (you know Him, right?) God is going to do it. One more time so that it can sink in, God will do it. And He invites us to be a part of His story.
So come in, show up and join the party, God is saving a seat for you.
And you obeying God, you showing up is not only for you; it's also for the people who are tied to your presence at the party. It's for those who look up to you, it's for those who are at the receiving end of your obedience.
It's not only about you.
And the cost of showing up pales in comparison of not showing up. Your disobedience costs you His presence in your life. You'll be cutoff from God; you'll feel as though He's nowhere to be found when you were the one who stayed in your room and didn't show up.
Open the door and step out into the unknown, step into the purpose God has for you.
You'll probably stumble, you'll probably stutter, you'll probably spill some drink on your dress or shirt but that's okay, okay?
Because God is beaming with pride that you graced the party with your presence. This is what He's always imagined: you fumbling around becoming the person He created you to be under His careful gaze.
God doesn't mind the mess. He's happy that you showed up. Everything else, He'll take care of.
Trust Him.
No comments