For Such a Time as This

The story of Esther is one of my favorite Bible stories, besides the story of Jesus. Ü I think we all know the story of Esther. Just in case you don't, I'll give you a very quick over view. A beautiful orphaned Jewish girl (Esther), sworn to secrecy of her nationality by her cousin, is suddenly chosen to be queen of all Persia. Everything's going great, until evil, bad-sport Haman the Agagite talks the king into destroying all the Israelites. Mordecai, the cousin who had been raising Esther, asks her to go to the king, tell him of her true nationality, and plea for her life and her people's. She is afraid and gives an excuse (a pretty agreeable one).

"All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days."

She feared for her own life! Who wouldn't!? If she came into the court and made the king angry, she'd be put to death. If she was allowed to speak, but couldn't convince the king to help her and her people, she'd die anyway! Two obstacles.... two big obstacles. But read Mordecai's reply to her...

"Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

Then Esther told the messenger to answer Mordecai:

"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."

Another thing my Mom told me in those few days I was devastated about the things going on in this country, was to remember this story. I may have been put here by God for such a time as this. I most definitely won't be a queen or a renowned leader, maybe just a simple girl to do a great work, like Jael in Judges 4. God does everything for a reason, and he knew that putting me in this era of time was the perfect time. Maybe I was put here to put courage in the hearts of the faint, just like my Mom has done for me. Or to fight for a freedom that we're losing.... that we've lost. Or maybe I'm just here to simply remind others that God will be our deliverer. Whatever the reason, God has a purpose for me being here and now. For such a time as this. I want to find that reason and live out my God-given task. And if I perish, I perish. Oh - Esther's story ends well! Her courage prevails and the king harkens to her pleas, he has Haman hung on the gallows that Haman had prepared for Mordecai, and the king defended the Israelites on the day of their supposed execution! Just to know we all have a purpose, and that that purpose is meant for us.... But if we don't fulfill that destiny, we are warned just like Esther was warned by Mordecai. If we don't fulfill our purpose, someone, somewhere different will rise up another time and claim the victory that was meant to be ours, in our time. I'd rather perish than lose the present victory and relinquish the battle to someone else because of fear. I was placed here for such a time as this. And so were you.