Maybe Faith

Maybe....

Saul’s encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus is one of the most transformative moments in Scripture, setting the stage for a radical shift in his life and mission.

Acts 9:3-9 (ESV)
“Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And he said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.’ The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.”

I want to take a moment to reflect on the significance of those three days when Saul neither ate nor drank. This is one of two times in Scripture where we see a fast consisting of no food or drink for three days. The other time occurs in the book of Esther.

For some context, Esther’s story takes place in Persia. The king, Xerxes, has chosen Esther, a Jewish woman, as queen, though she has kept her heritage hidden. Meanwhile, Haman, a high-ranking official, plots to annihilate the Jewish people, and Esther’s cousin Mordecai urges her to intervene. But there’s a catch: no one can approach the king without being summoned, which makes Esther hesitant. Mordecai’s words to her are pivotal:

Esther 4:13-14
"Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. 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?"

We often hear this verse paraphrased as, “You were born for such a time as this.” But that’s not quite what Mordecai says. He hits Esther with a maybe “And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

A “Maybe" Changes Everything.

So, what does Esther do? She seeks God and calls for a fast:

Esther 4:15-17 (ESV)
“Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: ‘Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.’ So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.”

Fasting Weakens the Physical, but Strengthens the Spiritual.

And the Church needs more fasting—not just our church, but The Church. When we fast, we acknowledge our dependence on God and seek His strength, wisdom, and guidance. Notice that Esther didn’t fast alone. She asked Mordecai, her maids, and all the Jews of Susa to fast with her.

Now, look at Esther’s heart posture in verse 16:

Esther 4:16 (ESV)
"Go, gather the Jews and fast with me. I will do the same. And though it is against the law, I will go to the king. If I must die, I must die."

Mordecai says, “Maybe this is your purpose,” and Esther responds, “If I die, I die.”

Neither Mordecai nor Esther acted with absolute certainty. They acted on a maybe. Yet, through that uncertain faith, God delivered the Jewish people.

In the end, Esther approaches the king, risking her life, and God uses her to save her people. But it started with a maybe.

Here’s the Truth: God Can Use Your Maybe Faith.

Maybe Anchor City Church was made for such a time as this. Maybe God has placed us here to be a light in our city, to impact lives for His Kingdom. We don’t know every detail of the future, but one thing is certain: we won’t sit back and do nothing.

We’ll give it our all. And if we fail, we fail. But we won’t fail because we were afraid to step into the maybe.

Maybe God is calling you to something bigger than you realize, something you can’t fully see yet. Will you trust Him in the uncertainty? Will you fast, pray, and seek Him, even when all you have is a maybe?