On the brink

If you look closely at the picture above, you will see a truck perched on the edge of the cliff, ready to go over it. Scary place to be, but sometimes we find ourselves in dangerous situations. I remember working on my soon-to-be in laws farm during the hay season; it was the end of the day and the hay wagon was stacked nine tier high and we were headed down a very steep hill. I don't remember why, but my future mother-in-law was having trouble with the brakes and we just kept going faster and faster. Thinking we were going to crash, I went over to Linda (who later became my wife) and hugged her tightly as we waited for the crash. Somehow, Linda's mom managed to put enough force on the brakes of that old tractor for us to stop, but all I remember is seeing her literally standing upright on them. Later, I learned she had also put on the emergency brake but all that really mattered was she knew what to do at the right time. In the book of Esther we see another dangerous situation with a lady with the courage to do what was necessary to save her people.

Est 4:1 When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and he cried out with a loud and bitter cry.
Est 4:2 He went up to the entrance of the king's gate, for no one was allowed to enter the king's gate clothed in sackcloth.
Est 4:3 And in every province, wherever the king's command and his decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and many of them lay in sackcloth and ashes.
Est 4:4 When Esther's young women and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed. She sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth, but he would not accept them.
Est 4:5 Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs, who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was.
Est 4:6 Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king's gate,
Est 4:7 and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king's treasuries for the destruction of the Jews.
Est 4:8 Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her and command her to go to the king to beg his favor and plead with him on behalf of her people.
Est 4:9 And Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said.
Est 4:10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to go to Mordecai and say,
Est 4:11 "All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law--to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days."
Est 4:12 And they told Mordecai what Esther had said.
Est 4:13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, "Do not think to yourself that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews.
Est 4:14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
Est 4:15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai,
Est 4:16 "Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish."

English Standard Version

Well, Esther didn't perish and saved her people from certain destruction. The enemies of the Jews were destroyed and the lineage of the Christ was preserved. Towards the end of the book there is much rejoicing by the Jews over their deliverance and its easy to see why they would be happy. I imagine that whoever drove that truck in the picture was happy to escape as well. Being on the brink of destruction is a very scary thing indeed; but for those who follow God, its nice to know that we don't have go through danger alone. Somehow that makes all the difference in the world!