The Sceptre's in His Hand

I don’t know whether there is something in the Bible that says that you get to become like the people that you hang around with – but it is certainly true of my friend Mark. I went to a meeting last night. I thought it was something about putting 2008 before God and basically handing the year over for His purposes – which it was! It was more specific in the sense that it was directed towards the prayer cover for Street Pastors which has its official launch at the end of January.

It was a very lively meeting, with people drawn from a number of different churches from Inverness. They were very much involved in Healing on the Streets and Street Pastors and were looking for direction about how to organize prayer cover. They spoke about God appointing (as opposed to anointing) people to do various tasks over the next year. I had this kind of picture of God and a clipboard and a room full of people, and issuing people with colour-coded folders with specific tasks to do. If you watch any of the police programs- a major investigation is about to be undertaken, all the detectives have had a general briefing and then the specifics jobs are assigned – “Hey, Jones and Carruthers – see what you can find about the telephone calls Mr X made over the last six months!” “We’re on it, sir.” That was the kind of thing I envisioned!

The worship time during the meeting was excellent. I can’t remember the song we were singing, but the refrain in my head was “The sceptre’s in His hand” picturing God reigning on His throne and administering his rule.

I then thought about Queen Esther approaching the throne of the King:-

”On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king's hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.

Then the king asked, "What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you." Esther 5:1-3

We have been clothed in royal robes and have been invited into the throne room of God Almighty. When God sees us approach, He is pleased and holds out the golden scepter to us and invites us to touch its tip. He asks us to bring our requests and share with Him what is on our hearts.

WOW!

A woman sitting nearby had also been thinking about Queen Esther. It was encouraging to have someone confirm what God was saying. It was encouraging for me to feel that in a bunch of very enthusiastic worshippers, I could hear God’s voice too!