For such a time as this
Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Esther 4, 5, 6
Esther 4:12-16 (NIV)
12 When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, 13 he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”
15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather all the Jews together who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
Matthew 10:39 (NIV)
[Jesus said,] “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Good morning!
It is easy to feel rather insignificant in the world we live in. I don’t know about you, but I have wondered from time to time whether I could really make any difference in the life of another. After all, I’m just one little person out of billions of people around the world.
I got married when I was eighteen years old! I had fallen in love with the boy of my dreams, and I was convinced we were perfect for each other! Sometimes we find the love of our life at the most inopportune time. God was gracious and protected our marriage through some really difficult moments, as we grew up in love together. My husband married a baby girl, and I had an awful lot to learn about loving a husband. I don’t think our parents could have stopped us from getting married – we were determined and so they relented. Funny how parents do that… we step back and let our children make life choices knowing they will grow up and become mature one way or another. Parents learn how to pray really hard as their babies grow up. Now that I’m an empty nester, I find myself on my knees all the more, as I continue to pray for each of my children and their precious families every day.
I wondered where our life together would take us. As I’ve grown older, I find every day to be an incredible adventure. You just never know who you might meet or what you will learn. Still, there are times when we all wonder whether our life's work will have a positive effect in the heart of another. The Book of Esther is one of my favorite books in the Bible. This is the story of a young girl, orphaned at a child. I can relate to that since I too, was an orphan. She was adopted by her older cousin Mordecai. He took on the huge responsibility of raising a frightened child. She adored Mordecai, and learned from his life example. Mordecai taught Esther the importance of faith through practice and example. He told her stories of the rich traditions of their people, and practiced the presence of God in prayer, fasting, and study at home and in worship. Mordecai lived in a place where publicly practicing his faith in God could potentially lead to death. He taught his young cousin to trust the Lord in all things and be assured that God’s master plan is greater and more powerful than any simple scheme of man.
In an amazing sequence of events, Esther finds herself placed in a position of power. How did this happen to a poor Jewish orphan? So many times, we believe our ability to reach out and lead is limited by gender, class, and the society in which we live. Isn’t it amazing that when we give our lives over to the Lord, we find a newfound freedom in His master plan. It is a holy moment indeed, when we realize that God has a special plan for you to fulfill. He gives each one of us a future and a hope. It is up to you to decide whether you will hand Him your whole heart, trusting God to lead you, or whether you will try to control our own future all by yourself. Either way, the things we say and do have a profound affect on the people who are placed in our path. With God’s help, we can extend the love of Christ by telling His story around the world. For such a time as this, God calls you and I to share Jesus with the world.
The opportunity to serve the Lord Jesus Christ is more important than anything else we will ever do in our lifetime. If we are willing to trust God enough to hand Him our future, we can know for certain that He will walk with us every step of the way. We may not always understand the why and how of it, but can be sure that He will reward our faithfulness. Eternity is just around the corner.
You can be an Esther today. God has called you to live for Him, for such a time as this.
Grace and peace,
Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com
Pray for: the faith of Esther, to look past your personal circumstance and see what God sees in your potential! He placed Esther in a position that by faith and obedience, she would make a lasting difference in the lives of her people. If God can do that for a young orphan girl, imagine what He can do in you!
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© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
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