When U Pray

Remarks for Beverly Jean Nelson
As I looked at the best way to remark on my cousin who I called Aunt, I looked for examples of women in the Bible to define her. 
I looked to Ruth, I looked at what she had been through and how her story ended, she had Boaz but she was not quite who I was looking for.
I looked to Naomi and thought oh no, my aunt was not in misery, she did not feel that God had dealt with her harshly. Aunt Jean trusted God till the end. 
I looked to Sara and although Sara had an amazing encounter with God, she was not the example I was looking for. 
I turned to Noah’s wife, she had to have great faith right? She helped build an ark ,and supported her husband and sons. No, she was not who I was looking for.
I looked at lots wife and the widow woman who ran out of oil, I even looked at my favorite woman the Shunamite woman who looked at her trouble and declared all is well. 

But It was not until I found Ester that I knew I had found the woman I was looking for. Esther was beautiful, she was loved, she had much favor and she was smart. When trouble came to her door she didn’t faint oh no, she went to God for help. I knew this was the woman who best represented my aunt. 

Aunt Jeannie was physically beautiful but if that’s all you remember your missing the point. She was a wife, mother, sister, aunt, cousin and grandmother, she was a friend, and a confidant but she was also grace, class, sophistication and joy. In spite of her struggles she still trusted God, for she was a woman of great faith. So those are the things I will remember. 

So I challenge each one of us today to remember the lesson from Ester. If trouble comes to your family, don’t run and hide because you were called for a time like this, gather together, fast and pray and then go to the king. Remember the words of Mordecai.

“If you keep quiet now, help and freedom for the Jews will come from another place. But you and your father’s family will all die. And who knows, maybe you have been chosen to be the queen for such a time as this.” Then Esther sent this answer to Mordecai: “Mordecai, go and get all the Jews in Susa together, and fast for me. Don’t eat or drink for three days and nights. I and my women servants will fast too. After we fast, I will go to the king. I know it is against the law to go to the king if he didn’t call me, but I will do it anyway. If I die, I die.””‭‭Esther‬ ‭4:14-16‬ ‭ERV‬‬ http://bible.com/406/est.4.14-16.erv