You Are Where You Are “For Such a Time as This”!

Once upon a time there was a young maiden who was asked to go to the king’s palace. She was given fine clothes, beauty treatments and all the best the king had to offer. The king even made her his queen! Though it seemed as if she was living a fairy tale, fear soon struck her heart. 

When she learned that the king’s aides planned to harm her family, she was so scared and she didn’t know what to do. No matter how hard she tried, fear kept creeping into her mind and heart. Every day, she was in fear for her family and even for her own life. 

Now, even though the young maiden couldn’t see God, He was protecting her and her family. He even sent her cousin to her speak to her. (He was the same man who had adopted her as a daughter after her parents died.) He brought her words of wisdom. He told her that she could be brave, and with God’s help, she could find the courage to speak to the king. In fact, she was the only one who could ask the king not to harm their family. 

She wanted to believe him. She really did, but she was so scared and wasn’t sure she dare speak to the king, but he said to her…

“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 your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)

And, so she promised that she would go and talk to the king. But, before she went she told her father to tell all those in their family to stop and pray. Pray for three days and three nights!

I bet you know how the story ends, right?

Sure, you do. The Israelites were saved, evil Haman got his much deserved penalty and Esther and Mordecai were given places of highest honor within the kingdom.

While we may not have ever been to a palace, worn fine clothes or enjoyed the luxuries of a spa, God is watching over us as His precious ones. He is ever present, every moment of every day. We may not see Him clearly when fear creeps into our hearts, but God is always working in our midst. He has a plan, and you and I are a part of it!

As our world seems to be all topsy-turvey with the recent events of COVID, we need not be dismayed. God is not surprised. He has you right where He needs you to be. You are where you can do the most good for His Kingdom right where you are. In your neighborhood, at work, at church and at home.

It is not a bad thing for our world to have to stop in its tracks and re-evaluate the constant, unrelenting activities of our days. We are so used to go, go, go, going that many of us (or our neighbors) have no idea how to relax. We’ve put off planning ahead with our finances, our priorities or our time. Life has just been spinning out of control for so long that we didn’t even know we were on overdrive. Sound familiar?

Whatever the case in your heart and in your household, God has a plan. You are right where He wants you to be today. He has allowed you to be there “for such a time as this.” Have you taken time to seek His will, to pray for His intervention and to move forward in your faith - leaving fear behind? Allow God to use you to show His love to the world. Ask Him for the courage to move forward in ministry and mission. Trust God to protect you and your family for His glory and in His way.

…and down the road, may we all rejoice as the Jews did after the crisis that Queen Esther endured had passed. Esther 8 records that it was a time of “happiness and joy, gladness and honor.” (v. 16) We don’t know what life will look like in the next few weeks, months or years, but we know the One who has it all in control. We just need to faithfully walk in the path He has laid out before us - for such a time as this - because you are where you are for a reason.

Trust in Him alone!