God will Make a Way

God will Make a Way
Esther 4:1-17
June 10-11, 2023

All right, as we mentioned before, when we were in the book of Esther, that the name of God is not mentioned in this book at any time. However, I submit that God is the main character of the story because this book of Esther is about how the hand of God moves in ways that you cannot see, to make a way where there is no way. When you hear that, when you are reminded of that, then your faith is strengthened.

I tell you, we need our faith strengthen for we're living in a world that is filled with trouble, life is filled with trouble, and we need to know that God still says, still rescues, and delivered. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and God's hand still moves in power. When you come to the story of Esther, Israel is in great peril, they are at risk of total annihilation. It's like the Holocaust plus. I mean, that is how dire the situation is of great peril.

What happened was, and we studied this before when we are in the book of Esther, that a decree has been issued against them, signed by the signet ring of the king of Persia, that every Jew was to be killed on one day, and they had selected by the casting of lots, the 13th day of the 12th month. Now, that decree signed by the signet ring of that king of Persia was sent by couriers to every province that was under the domain of Persia in that day, 127 provinces from Ethiopia to India. We're talking here about total annihilation, the Holocaust, and plus.

Now, the thing that we're going to read as we see this in the story, that once a decree has been issued and signed by the signet ring of the king of Persia, it is irrevocable, even the king himself cannot revoke that decree or that edict. This is my point, that the edict for the destruction and annihilation of the Jews has gone out. It's been sent by couriers. It's done. It's over. It cannot be revoked. It's done.

Now, see, this is important. That is the dilemma of the story. The couriers went out, the decree has gone out. It's done. It cannot be revoked. It's done, it's over. Yet God makes a way where there seems to be no way. That is the story of faith, and there are principles of faith that we can gain from seeing God's hand move in such a way that there is a way that God rescues and save and deliver.

The story of Esther is celebrated by Jews around the world in the Feast of Purim every year. Now, the word Purim, actually, it's a Persian word, it means lots, so the casting of lots. The reason that the Feast of Purim is called that is because Haman, who is the wicked enemy of Israel in the story, he is the one who manipulated the king of Persia to set forth that edict and decree. Haman determined the day that would determine the destruction of Israel by the casting of lots. It came on the 12th month, and then the 13th day, and so that's why it's called Purim.

The Jews celebrate Purim every year, and the reading of the book of Esther because it is a reminder year after year after year that God moves in ways that we cannot see. That God will make a way where there seems to be no way. That God still saves, still rescues, and still delivers, and that when you read the story your faith is stirred up. Now we're going to read because there are principles of faith that are found in the story to stir up our faith, that God's hand is moving. God's hand is moving to prepare you to fulfill His purpose and calling in your life. We pick it up in Esther 4, the decree had just gotten out by couriers to all the provinces.

Chapter 4:1, "Now, when Mordecai--" now, Mordecai is her much older cousin who has taken her in, adopted her. She lost her parents, she was orphaned when she was young, so Mordecai took her and raised her and brought her. We see from this story that he raised her with character and integrity and in faith, and at this point in this story by the sovereign moving of God in the circumstances of life, she is now the Queen of Persia, having replaced Vashti.

Mordecai, now hearing about this decree that has gone out by couriers, it says, "When he learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes, he put on sackcloth and ashes, and he went out into the midst of the city and he wailed loudly and bitterly. And he went as far as the king's gate for no one was to enter the king's gate, clothed in sackcloth. And in each and every province when the command and decree of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, with weeping and wailing, and many were laying on sackcloth and ashes," not just only wearing, but they will actually sit down ashes and sackcloth and lie on them, wailing in mourning.

Then verse 4, Esther's maidens and her eunuchs came and told her. Now, what they told her was that Mordecai is wailing and mourning and wearing sackcloth out by the king's gate. That's what they told her. The king, when hearing this writhed in great anguish, "What is this trouble?" So she sent garments to clothe Mordecai, that he might remove that sackcloth, but he would not accept them.

"Then Esther," verse 5, she summoned Hathak from the king's eunuch, whom the king had appointed to attend to her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was, and why it was. So Hathak went out to Mordecai to the city square, in front of the king's gate, and Mordecai told him, oh, that happened, and exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the destruction of the Jews.

He also gave him a copy of the text of that edict which had been issued there from Susa, for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther and inform her and to order her. Now, see, he's still her father. Even though she's the Queen of Persia, he's still the father, to order her to go into the king to implore his favor and to plead with him for her people. So Hathak came back and relayed Mordecai's word to Esther. Now, Esther spoke to Hathak and ordered him to reply back to Mordecai with these words. Verse 11, "All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king to the inner court who is not first summoned," well, there is only one law, in that he has put to death.

Now, this is actually understandable. It was a matter of national security. You can just imagine you have a king who has over 127 provinces, you can't just have someone showing up unannounced. That could be tremendously dangerous, and so they set forth a law. The default action of that law, if anyone shows up unannounced, unsummoned, he will be put to death. That's the law. The only exception, the only act of mercy, it says, is if the king holds out his scepter, the golden scepter, to that person. Then he would live, but the default is death. I have not been summoned to the king for these 30 days, so they related these words to Mordecai.

I. For Such a Time as This

Mordecai replied back. Now, his reply here is the center of the whole of the book. Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, "Do not imagine that you in the king's palace can escape." See, at this point she has not told anyone. Under Mordecai's instruction, do not reveal that you are a Jew, and so no one knows that she's a Jew. Do not think that you will escape, that decree will find you out. You are a Jew. That is a decree, it's been signed, it will find you out, don't think you can escape any more than all the Jews.

"If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father's house will perish. But who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?" That's a theme as and we're going to look at those words. Answer. Esther then replied to Mordecai, okay, I will do it, in other words. I will do this thing. Even though it's against the law, there's one default law, and that is death. I will do it. First, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, the capital, and fast. "Fast for me. Do not eat or drink three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same way, and then I will do it. I will take the risk of life. I will go in to the king, which is against the law." Then she adds, "And if I perish, I perish."

Mordecai went and he did, just as Esther had commanded him. All right, I looked at the verses around this, at the Wednesday verse by verse service, but I want us to look at these verses because there are principles of faith. Starting with that answer that Mordecai gave, "for such a time as this." Perhaps you have attained royalty for this very thing. He's giving you this as a turning point of the story. Do not think you can escape. No, it will find you out. Trouble will find you out. This indic will find you out.

A. Living faith moves you to action

Just because you live in the king's palace will not save you. "But know this," Mordecai added, "if you remain silent and do nothing, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place." Now, that right there is light in the darkness. That right there is faith arising in the midst of adversity. What is he saying? He's saying this, look, I know that the promises to Israel will stand. I know that God will save. I know He will. How He will, I do not know, but I know my God. And I know that somehow, some way, He will rescue and He will save. He's stirring her up in her faith, because living faith moves you to action.

You see, there are different kinds of faith. There's living faith and there's dead faith. Oh, there is dead faith. Dead faith is where it does not move you at all. Living faith moves you, moves you to action. God will make a way where there seems to be no way, Mordecai is saying. If you remain silent, if you do not move, relief and deliverance will arise. God will make a way.

See, God's purpose will stand. God will see to it. God's hand is not so short that it cannot save. God will make a way. He's stirring her up. Now, see, when I think about this, I think about that time that Jesus, when He was descending the Mount of Olives on that day that we call the Triumphant Entry or Palm Sunday, He's coming, descending the Mount of Olives there before Jerusalem. A great crowd of disciples are with Him. They began to praise God joyfully, shouting about all the miracles for which they have seen. They're shouting out Psalm 118.

Now, everyone knew in that day that that Psalm was reserved for the Messiah. No one is going to shout or declare or going to sing that Psalm unless you got the Messiah. Unless you have the Messiah with you, you're not going to shout or declare that Psalm. Well, they brought out Psalm 118 and they started shouting it out. "Blessed is He, blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest."

Well, Luke 19: 39-40, some of the Pharisees, Jewish leaders were in the crowd. They said to Him, Teacher, rebuke your disciples. Let them not say that. That's reserved for the Messiah. You rebuke them. Jesus said, "I tell you, if these remain silent, even the stones will cry out." Oh, I love that right there. See, in other words, this was a day ordained by God. Nothing and no one can stand in the way. When God's purpose is set forth, no one and nothing can stand in the way. If the disciples don't shout, oh, God will cause the rocks to cry out.

Nothing and no one can stand in the way of God's purpose. God's purpose will stand and is still true today. Do you believe that? Let's give the Lord praise and glory. Amen. See, when I think about that, I think of Isaiah 43:18 and 19, where the Lord says through the prophet Isaiah, "Do not call to mind the former things. Do not ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new. Now it will spring forth. Are you not aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness. I will make rivers in the desert. I will do what needs to be done that my purpose will stand."

See, Mordecai is saying this to her to stir her up, that she may believe, to arise in faith, to believe that God will find a way. If you don't move, God will still do it. If you don't take action, God will still save. But what a privilege for God to use you. What a privilege, what an honor to be useful to the kingdom. See, when I think of that, I think of Isaiah 6:9, where it says, "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, whom shall I send and who will go for us? And then I said, here am I, Lord, send me."

See, that's a declaration that says, it's a privilege. It's an honor to move in God's purpose in my life. Here am I, Lord, send me. It's an honor. It's an honor to carry your name. It's an honor to be useful to the kingdom. It's a privilege to carry your name and to be useful. Here am I, Lord, send me. How many would say the same? It's an honor. It's a privilege to be useful to the kingdom. Here am I, Lord. Amen. Let's give the Lord praise for that. Here am I, send me, Lord.

B. Perhaps you arose for this very purpose

This is what he's saying to her. "Perhaps you arose for this very purpose." See, verse 14 here is the most famous line, most impactful line of the whole story. Who knows whether you have obtained royalty for this very time, such a time as this? Perhaps the very reason that you have come to this place in your life was for this purpose. In other words, this is not happenstance. God has been working in unseen ways. His unseen hand has been working in the circumstances to bring about this very circumstance that you are now in. God's hand moved. This is not happenstance. God's hand has been moving for His purpose to be fulfilled.

In other words, God works all things together for His glory and for your good. Now, I'm quoting there from Romans 8:28, "We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Now, a more literal translation of that verse would be, "We know that God works all things together." See, I love that perspective, the way that that presents it. God works all things together. In other words, the hand of God moves in ways you cannot see. God is moving with his hand in the circumstances of life to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

As we see in the story and in other places, God can even use the things that are difficult, the troubles, the trials, the tribulations to bring about His purpose in your life. Now, I do not say that God causes those troubles. I say that God works all things together for His great purpose. Perhaps one of the best illustrations of that in the Bible would be Joseph, which we read about in the book of Genesis.

In that story, if you remember the story, Joseph is a very young man, and he has a vision in a dream that God's going to allow him to arise to a place of stature and authority, so much so that all of his brothers even will bow down to him. Oh, he was so excited about this vision, this dream that God has given him. Oh, God's going to allow me to arise to a place of authority so that even the brothers bow down to me.

Oh, he was so excited. He couldn't wait to share it with them. Oh, listen to me. Listen to what God did. He's giving me a vision. I'm going to arise. I'm going to arise and have a place of authority, and you're all going to bow down. Isn't that exciting? Well, they were not excited. They took seize hold of him and sold him to Midianite slave traders. Ha. Let's see what comes of your dreams now, you dreamer. Let's see what comes now. You think it's going to be fulfilled now? Ha. We bow down to you? I think not." They sold him to Midianite slave traders, presumably never to see him again.

Taken to Egypt, sold as a slave to Potiphar who was the head of the guard of Pharaoh. Then he's falsely accused by Potiphar's wife and ends up in prison. He goes from bad to worse, to worser. I made that word up. Everything was against him. He could have shaken his fist at God. He could have walked away from his faith. Oh, so this is what happens? Oh, yes, you give me a vision, and then all of this? All of this trouble? He could have shaken his fist, he could have given up his faith, but he didn't.

That's a key to the story. He did not. In fact, everything that seemed to be against him were the very things that God used to bring about His purpose. This is a key to understanding. The very things that are against him are the things that God uses in the moving of His hand to bring about that very thing that He had given to him in the vision. Now, at the end of the story, as we know, that gift of vision and dream God used to secure not only his release, but also to help save many, many people, and Pharaoh raises him up in the kingdom to a position of great authority.

Then later in the story, of course, the brothers realizing, ah, it's Joseph, our long lost brother. Ah, they come and they beg forgiveness, pleading for their lives, and they bow down just like that vision. They bow down and they say, "Behold, we are your servants." He answers in Genesis 50:19-20, "But Joseph said to them, 'Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me,'" it's true, you did, you meant evil, "'but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to keep many people alive." Joseph's answer is filled with insight. You meant it for evil, you did, but God meant it for good to bring about this purpose in your life.

Do you believe that God still moves in the circumstances of life? God does. Esther was not in her royal position by accident. The king's decision to make her queen was not at random. No, God is at work. Everything happened in her life up to that point for this very reason. In other words, things don't just happen. God has a purpose. God is moving even in the circumstances. Even in the things that are against you, God can use those things that are against you to bring about His very purpose in your life. God will rescue, God will save, God will deliver in ways that you cannot see.

II. Faith Overcomes Fear

Who knows? He says, "Perhaps you are brought into this very place for this very reason, for this very purpose." Perhaps your life has come to this point for such a time as this to fulfill a purpose. Then we must see this in the story, there's still this, Esther still faces great peril. Now, God's going to rescue, God's going to save, and God's going to deliver, but she has a part. Now, that also is a life lesson. God's going to save, but there's a part that God has for you in it. She's going to have to overcome her fear. There is only one law. The default law is death. This could well end in my death. She has to overcome this. See, you must overcome fear in order for God's purpose to be accomplished.

This is about the arising of faith. See, faith overcomes fear. Fear is a condition in which we were all born, it's a natural condition of man, but it stands in the way of faith, and faith must move. Faith overcomes fear. Oh, the fear of death was very real. There is one law, it's a matter of law. It's a default that anyone would be killed except for mercy. Mordecai's stirring up her in faith, "If you remain silent, relief and deliverance will arise from another place, but who knows if not you were given that place for such a time as this." She replied to Mordecai, I will do it, but I want you to do this, I want you to assemble all the Jews living in the capitol city of Susa, and I want them to fast.

Now, fasting and praying go together, hand in hand. "I want you to fast for me for three days and three nights. I and my maidens will all do the same." Now, this is a great key to the story. In other words, never forget the prayer factor. Never forget. God has decided that He will use the prayers of His people to accomplish His purpose. Esther is determined to move. She's going to do it. She's going to take action. She's not going to remain silent, but she's not going to move until they have prayed and fasted. She's asking all the Jews in the city to pray for her and with her.

A. Never forget the prayer factor

I submit God does not need Esther's prayers nor the prayers of Mordecai. However, God has decided to include us in what He is doing, and one of the ways that He includes us is through our prayers. God has decided that the kingdom of God will be moved by the prayers of His people. That is the way the kingdom of God moves. God is going to use the prayers of His people. See, the effective spiritual life begins by understanding the factor of prayer. The effective spiritual life understands the factor of prayer. God has decided that the kingdom of God will move by the prayers of His people. James 4:2, "You have not because you asked not."

James 5:16, "The fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much." Now, I love that verse because I love the idea of accomplishing much, but it is the hand of God that moves and prayer recognizes that it is the hand of God that is the power behind the rescue, behind the save, behind the deliver. God will use His prayers. God will make a way where there is no way. Never forget the prayer factor for when you pray, you are reminded that it is God's hand that moves, it's God's hand that saves, and you look to His hand to do it. I'll tell you, if anyone understood trouble and God delivering out of trouble, it'd be David. Oh, David saw so many troubles, but God saved him from them all.

In fact, he wrote this in Psalm 3:2-8, "Many are saying of my soul," see, many looked at David's troubles, many had said, "there is no help for him in God." That's that he's in too deep of trouble. There's no help now, but see, Psalms 3 is a prayer, "But you, O Lord, are a shield about me. You are my glory, you are the one who lifts my head. I cried to the Lord." See, David understood that in the midst of that trouble, "I cried out to God. I cried out with my voice and he answered from his holy mountain." Then he says, "Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon your people." That's still true today. Salvation is from the Lord and blessings of God is upon His people is still true today. He understood it. I know where help comes from. I know where deliverance comes from. I know that my God helps. I know that my God saves.

B. Your life is in His hands

Esther is stirred up. She's going to do it. She asks for prayer, they pray for three days, and then she adds such a perspective. She says, essentially, my life is in His hands. If I perish, I perish. There's a principle. Your life is in His hands. There's freedom in that. When you come to that place of recognizing your life is in His hands, if I perish, I perish, there's freedom in it.

I think of Psalm 139:16. You might want to write this down because it is a really, really great perspective on life. David writes it this way, "In your book, they were all written all the days that were ordained for me when as yet there was not one of them." See what he's saying? In your book, my name is written, and next to my name, you wrote a number. That was the number of the days that were ordained for me before there was even one day. Before I was even born, God wrote that number next to my name.

See, that's a perspective that brings tremendous freedom. I know that God has written a number next to my name. I don't know what that number is, but I know this. I know that I respect God, so therefore I respect that number. Whatever that number is, it's all right with me. Whatever God wrote, it's all right with me. The key is what you do with those days that God has given you. The days that were ordained were the days that He gave to me. See, what will you do with the days that God gave you?

Life is a journey to be walked and God wants you to walk that journey with Him fulfilling His purpose in your life. These are the days ordained for me, and who knows whether you have been given your life for such a time as this, to fulfill this purpose? When I think of that, I think of 2 Chronicles 16:9. 16:9 of Chronicles is like a life verse. What principle is this where it says, "The eyes of the Lord search to and fro throughout the whole earth in order to show Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are completely His." That is a tremendous understanding.

God is looking, God is searching. The eyes of the Lord range to and fro looking to show Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are completely His. God's wanting to show Himself strong. Walk with God. He will reveal His hand. When I think about that, I think about when Moses came to the end of his journey. God had called him at the end of his life to walk up to the top of Mount Nebo alone. There he would see the land that God promised to give Israel. He would not enter into it. He could see it, and then he would be laid to rest at death.

Now, by the way, we were in Israel maybe a month or so ago, and we had the opportunity to cross over the Jordan on the other side and to go to Mount Nebo where this place you can see what Moses saw. In fact, it's so interesting because you can look down in the valley and you can see where Israel would've camped on the other side of the Jordan preparing to enter in. Moses gave them that final message, which is the book of Deuteronomy, to prepare them to enter into the land. He would not enter in, Joshua would lead them, but he gave them the final preparing message, and then when he finished it all, God told him to walk up that mountain alone.

I often wonder, what was in Moses' heart as he took that long last walk alone up Mount Nebo? It's a long walk. What went through his heart? What went through his mind as he was taking that long last walk alone? Did you think that he was, as he was walking, was like, "Oh my, all means come to this? Oh no. Oh no. Oh my, oh my." I don't think that for one moment. You know what I think? I think that Moses would've walked up that mountain recounting all the wonderful things they did together.

It says that all the way back when they were at Mount Sinai there in the early days of leading them out of Egypt, it says that God would meet with Moses, Moses would meet with God, and they would talk like a man speaks to a friend. I just imagine them walking that last long walk. Moses recounting all of the wonderful things they did together. "It's been a good walk, Lord, it's been a good journey. Oh, there have been troubles. There have been many, many troubles. When you parted the sea, oh, that was amazing. Then the way you provided for your people in the desert miracles and the way you brought watered out of a rock, oh, the things we did together. It was a great journey, Lord. Thank you for walking with me through it all. Thank you for the privilege of walking with you.

C. God’s rescue is amazing

When I think about that, that perspective, it makes me want to have something to look back on. Makes me want to have a journey with God so that when I come to the end, I look back. It's been a good walk, Lord. It's been a good journey. Oh, there have been troubles, but you were with me through them all. Oh, the things that you allowed me to do, to be part of. Oh, how we walked together. Thank you. It's been a good walk. It's been a good journey. Then lastly, there's this. God's rescue is amazing. The story will not be complete without knowing the ending.

How did God rescue, how did God deliver? Well, when she fasted and prayed, three days, she fasted and prayed and all the Jews praying for her there in Susa. After the three days of fasting and praying, a plan came to her heart. Exactly right. See, now this is a very important principle. Please hear this. It's a very important principle. When you pray, when you wait on God, He will press onto your heart insight and understanding into the situation, and then you'll see what God would have you to do in the circumstance. This is a very important thing.

I'll tell you, I have seen God move. God has saved me over and over. God has delivered. I know that when you are in trouble, when you pray and when you wait, when you wait on God, that He will press on your heart insight in how to move. Here's my point. Don't move. Don't move until God has done it. Don't move. Wait. Wait for God to press His heart into your heart. God will show you. God will give you insight, God will give you understanding. Do not move until you have prayed, until you have waited, until God has pressed His heart into yours. He will show you insight, understanding. She waited. Three days, they prayed.

She has a plan. Her plan is to invite the king and Haman to a private banquet that she will give to them. Now, there are other attendings, but she is giving this banquet for the king and Haman. The others are just servants. Now, he knows that something is troubling her. What is it that's troubling you? What is your petition, Queen Esther? What is your request? What is it? Up to half the kingdom it will be done. You can see right there. He loves her. What is it? What's troubling you? What is your petition? What's your request?

Esther 7:3, Queen Esther answered and said, "If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, my petition is this, my life." "Your life?" "My life. That's my asking. My petition is for my life. My request is for my people. For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, to be annihilated." Now, you can see in the story, in fact, we know at this point that anger is starting to arise in King Ahasuerus. He loves Esther and he has no idea that she's a Jew until this very moment. "I have been sold, I and my people, to be killed, to be annihilated."

Anger is arising up in King Ahasuerus, and he says, "Who? Who is he? Where is he? Who would presume to do such a thing as this?" You can just imagine Esther, "Who? Where?" She says Esther 7:6. Esther says, "A foe and an enemy is this wicked Haman." Then Haman became terrified before the king and queen. In fact, the king was so enraged, and then an assistant said, "Haman has built a gallows to hang Mordecai on." He said, "Hang him on it." That settles that, but what about that decree? What about that decree that went out that all the Jews were to be killed on the 13th day of the 12th month? That decree was irrevocable. What about that? Even the king cannot revoke it.

Well, Mordecai now arises as a counselor to the king in a given position, and so working together, they come up with this idea to set forth a second decree. The first one is set, it's already been out, but another decree is issued and set forth by couriers that granted the right to every Jew to defend himself. That's the answer. The first one is irrevocable, but the second one grants the right for them to defend themselves. They banded together, took up arms, and defended themselves on that fateful day.

It tells us in Esther 9:1, "Now in the 12th month, on the 13th day when the king's command and edict were about to be executed, on the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain mastery--" See, there were many enemies of the Jews and have been for many, many centuries. Those enemies thought to gain mastery, to take advantage of that opportunity. On that day, when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain mastery over them, no, it was turned to the contrary so that the Jews themselves gain mastery over those who hated them.

The hand of God moved here in the story, so the Feast of Purim was established so that they would never forget how God rescued and delivered from their troubles and from their enemies to be reminded over and over. Never forget that God still saves. God still rescues. God still delivers. I've seen it over and over and over in my own life. He's not done yet. When I get to the end, I will look back. It's been a good journey, Lord. He's already seen me through so many troubles. I know He'll walk with me through every one. There are many troubles ahead, but I know this, God will walk with me through them all so that when I get to the end, I can say it's been a good walk, Lord, it's been a good journey.

Thank you for walking together with me in it. It's been a good walk. It's been a privilege to walk with you, Lord. Amen. Lord, we love you and thank you for your word. You were reminding us again that the hand of God still moves, that you're the same yesterday, today, forever. That you still, by your sovereign hand, move in the circumstances of life that you rescue and say that you deliver.

Church, how many would say to the Lord today, "I know this, that I want to walk the rest of my days, I want to walk the rest of this journey. I don't know how many days I have, but whatever I have, I want to walk it with God so that when I get to the end of my life, I can look back and say, 'It's been a good journey, Lord, it's been a good walk. Thank you for walking with me through it all. It's been a privilege. It's been an honor. Thank you, Lord.'"