This statement has been said to me a few times over the last few weeks, I’ve also read it on blogs & I have used it in conversation… But have you ever wondered what it actually means & where it originated?

Today as I sit in social isolation, measures of Stage 3 of Australia’s fight against CoV19, where the the world as we knew is now unrecognizable. I ponder another time when the odds were totally against a people…

Come on in my friend, as we have a lovely time of reflection together. Today I’m using a special mug gifted to me last year, in my favorite blue & white colors with touches of gold, filled with a blend of Apple & cinnamon tea accompanied by blueberry pikelets, topped with greek yogurt & flaked almonds. Delicious!

The background story…

Hadassah, a young migrant woman, born to aging parents & sadly orphaned as a young child. Had been taken in by her extended family, caring for her as their own daughter.

She was very grateful for this, working hard to learn all she could, doing her chores & helping her cousins. As she grew, she was educated both in her own culture & language as well as in the language & culture of the nation where they resided.

However, in the nearby province within this nation the political climate had changed, due to pride, power & arrogance, trouble was brewing.

The first lady of the nation had stood up to her drunken husband publicly, refusing to be a part of his drunken antics at a Heads of State dinner.

This leader was a man who was driven by power & pride rather then for the welfare of his wife & marriage. This refusal of hers, horrified his male consort of Governors, they feared that the women of the nation would rise up for equal rights using her as their example.

They therefore persuaded him to divorce her & legislate that the men of each household throughout the provinces were the ones in control! Women were to be subordinate to the head male of each household!

Now the problem with all this is that it was done when he was outraged & angry at her (another lesson here), once things cooled down, this leader was saddened that he had done this to his wife but it was too late. So his advisors suggested he find another wife.

Thus, they had their version of “A leader wants a wife” & brought in all the eligible single gals from the provinces. It was a twelve month preparation program, they were given the best beauty treatments, diets & personal training.

You see only the best of the best would win the affection of this leader. Hadassah was amongst these girls, though she didn’t have a choice in this, as all the eligible single gals of the nation were required.

Now, a long story made short, Hadassah became the leaders wife. She was intelligent, exceptionally beautiful & took his eye & heart immediately.

She had taken the advice of the head trainer in the preparation process & also listened to her family’s wise instruction in keeping her nationality hidden.

After a blissful season of marriage & watching some of her husband’s political advisors vying for power & a failed planned assassination on his life, which her relative overheard & was able to warn her about.

The political atmosphere began to change again with one of her husband’s political advisors vying to be his right hand man. He also conspired to pass a law to get rid of the annoying migrants that he loathed in the provinces, permanently, by state sanctioned violence.

This law was passed & notices sent out, Hadassah’s uncle rushed to tell her about the coming genocide of her people & advised her to get the attention of her husband to stop this happening before it was too late, saying;

“…who knows, whether you have not attained this position for such a time as this!”

You see her husband wasn’t just any leader but a powerful King of this vast region, in fact he was so great he was known as the king of kings!

Hadassah knew she needed time with the King, to put her request to him for her people. But this could have meant instant death for her, as the King summoned people to him, not the other way round…so she had her people pray & fast…for days.

You may know Hadassah as Queen Esther, her husband as King Xerxes I, her uncle as Mordecai & the power hungry advisor wanting the genocide of the Hebrew people as Haman. Refer 2

So what has this got to do with the present pandemic?

You see we already have access to the real King of kings, Jesus, & to God’s throne room of grace, without fear of instant death when we approach Him in petitioning for our people…the people of this planet.

We are also under the threat from an enemy that is determined to hurt our people, already claiming many lives & completely changing our world overnight, as we knew it in the process.

For we know that we have access to His grace & mercy for such a time as this!

Prayer is a chat with the Creator of the universe, our Heavenly Father, putting our requests to Him in a conversation. The power of prayer, especially corporate prayer is very powerful indeed because God Himself is all powerful & that’s what Hadassah understood!

Hadassah & her people were saved from their enemy through God powerfully answering their prayers in a way that was most unexpected.

Let us join together my friend, praying for one another across this globe, as we are in this together!

Until next time,

Jennifer

Jennifer is a published author, discover more in The Book Nook

© 2020 Jennifer M. Ross, teawithjennifer.blog, All Rights Reserved. Photos on Pexels.com

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