For Such a Time as This…

The book of Esther is one of my favorite books in the Old Testament. I’ll set the stage for you if you are not familiar with it but if you are not familiar you should take 20 minutes and read the entire book today. Esther is a young Jewish girl who becomes queen. The Jewish people face extinction from a wicked official of the kingdom named Haman. Esther’s uncle, Mordecai, hears of this plot to kill the Jewish people and enlists Esther to go before the king to save the Jews. Esther is reluctant to do this. If she goes before the king unannounced she could be harmed, even killed. Then Mordecai has these words for Esther in chapter 4: 13 And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” That last sentence is our focus this morning.

There were many circumstances and twists that led to Esther becoming the queen and not all of them were pleasant. But now she finds herself in a place to be used by God but she is afraid. Mordecai reminds her that perhaps God has placed her here, as queen, for this particular situation. Have you ever felt that way? Perhaps God has placed you in a relationship so you could engage someone with the gospel of Jesus? Perhaps He has put you in a school, a job, a neighborhood so you can be a witness to Him? Perhaps He has put you in a position to provide godly advice to someone struggling, or even to be available to cry with someone who is hurting. Don’t think for a second that your life is controlled by karma or that things “just happen”. No, there is a larger purpose for your life from a larger Person in your life, God Himself. Esther sets aside her fear and does what she needs to do and saves her people. You and I probably won’t save “a people” but we can certainly be used by God to help “a person”. Will you do it…perhaps you are here for such a time as this?