We must speak out

"'Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.'" Esther 4:16 NIV

On April 22 Maggie Williams competed in the 800 meters at Summit High School, focused on breaking the school record of 2:10.54. And while Maggie did what she set out to do--breaking the record by more than two seconds--she collapsed face first right before the finish, with her momentum carrying her across the line. But she couldn't see and couldn't hear. The cause? "Complete oxygen debt," her coach, Dave Turnbull, explained. He went on to say, "I’ve been doing this for 31 years, I’ve never seen anybody basically lose consciousness. I’ve never seen that in the way it happened with Maggie.” Turnbull was so moved by the event (Maggie also suffered a concussion from the fall) that he wrote a letter to the OSAA, the state’s governing body on high school sports imploring them to lobby officials to revisit the mask mandate for runners. And because of his courage to speak out, the Oregon Health Authority updated it's mask guidance for non-contact sports on Monday, allowing athletes to remove their masks during competition.   

And you know, in a world where people are becoming more and more afraid to speak out because of the possible repercussions and the response of the 'cancel culture', every believer would do well to follow the example of Esther who, like Coach Turnbull, feared for the safety of those she loved--in this case the Jewish people who were in danger of being completely destroyed--and took action to remedy the situation saying, "I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.'" Esther not only recognized that she was in a position to speak up because the Lord had placed her there but was willing to die "for such a time as this."

So knowing full well that the Lord is sovereign and that you and I are also where we are (wherever that may be) for such a time as this, let us not be silent. Let us instead be willing to speak up when we are called to do so, regardless of the consequences. After all, we really have nothing to fear when God is by our side. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us a spirit of power rather than a spirit of fear. Lord, please cause us to understand that each and every one of us is not where we are by accident. You are sovereign over all Lord. I pray that the understanding of that would fill every believer with the courage to speak up when they need to regardless of the consequences. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

I will not be silent