Model Bride

Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? (Isaiah 58:5)

Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them. (Nehemiah 9:1)

3 And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. 16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. (Esther 4:3, 16)

The Nehemiah reference is to do with taking infidel wives as already discussed. Infidels are not model brides for believers, enough said on that.

The references to Esther are interesting. Esther was placed in a privileged position with the potential for influence. Like Daniel, she did not attain this potential by ambition, it just happened. However she maximised her opportunity through a humble willingness to be taught by those in authority over her. As a mere concubine she would have had little real influence; but by making the best of her opportunities in a God honouring fashion she became the queen. Daniel's case was similar: he maximised his influence by obeying God's commandments to the full at any hazard and by a willingness to be different.
Esther may be in many ways a model woman for God's last time remnant. With God's people under persecution there will be a universal death decree against them. God's people will fast and mourn and afflict their souls like they should be doing now. There will be influential young women who have a choice. To stand with God through his people or to hide from confrontation. The danger will be real. Though it is worth nothing I would like to speculate that most who stand for truth will indeed be killed and thus spared the time of trouble. But a small remnant will survive, and blameless in character be translated alive at the glorious coming of Jesus. The bride of Christ, remodelled and flawless will include all of us who have been faithful to him, even to death.
We must not withhold our lives from Jesus; what are you withholding?