For Such A Time As This

written by Haley King, Children & Family Ministries Coordinator (Novemeber 29, 2023)

Have you ever wondered what your purpose is in life? Who did God create you to be and for what reason? Well first and foremost He made you in His image for His glory. But we also recognize that God prepares things ahead of us for us to accomplish for His will.  Paul said in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.” (CSB) God created each person for His glory and for a specific reason. 

I want to encourage you today by looking at the story of Esther. God worked in Esthers life far before placing her on the throne. God worked behind the scenes to prepare Esther for this higher purpose. Esthers parents died when she was younger and she was raised by her cousin Mordecie. I’m sure Esther felt lonely and forgotten at times and didn't understand why the situations in her life were unfolding in this way. Esther turned into a beautiful women and God used her beauty to place her in the kingdom as queen. 

Let's start from the beginning. The king had been convinced to put away his wife, Vashti, because she refused to come to the celebration the king was having knowing the kind of party it was. The party had gone on for 180 days and the king was drunk and wanted to show off his wife. When Vashti refused the kings orders, she had to be removed from being queen. The other men were scared that other women would catch wind of this and would think they didn’t have to obey their husbands either leading to a “rebellion of wives”. So this led to the king now in need of a new queen. 

After the celebration was over and he had sobered up… he began to miss his wife. The same men that convinced him to get rid of his wife had another suggestion. They suggested that they hold a beauty contest and let the most beautiful women in the kingdom come before him that he might choose from them a new queen. Esther became a quick favorite. When the king saw Esther, he immediately fell for her and he had the crown placed on her head, and she became queen.

Up to this point we do not know why God has allowed all this to happen. As the story unfolds it becomes clear. After Esther becomes queen her cousin Mordecie makes a man named Haman very upset because Mordecie would not bow to Haman. Haman knowing that Mordecie is a Jew comes up with a cruel plan to kill all the Jews. God’s people are now threatened to be exterminated. Esther the queen is a Jew, though this is not known by others. Ah ha! God has put Esther in a very strategic place as queen. Mordecie gets word to Esther about Haman’s plan and tells her she must go to the king and ask for the Jews to be spared. Esther tells Mordecie that going before the king without being summoned is a death sentence. The king could kill Esther on the spot. Mordecie reminds Esther that her life is in danger no matter what because she herself is a Jew. In this moment Mordecie points to Esther’s purpose — “perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.” 

Esther went before the king and he immediately showed her favor. God had even prepared the kings heart as it was very clear that the king had a huge soft spot for Esther. When Esther came before the king he offered to give her anything she wanted, including half the kingdom if she ask. A women that God used her beauty to get her into the kingdom now uses her bravery to save His people. She was His instrument to save His nation of Israel. 

It is interesting to me that in two days Esther was able to fulfill the purpose of God for her life. Esther walked boldly in obedience to God’s call on her life. God’s people were going to be saved, that wasn’t a question. If not Esther, God would of used someone or something else to spare Israel. Esther’s bravery and obedience allowed her to be an instrument used by God. Oh, what an honor! We too can have that same honor. God has a purpose for us, but will we step up to the call. Will we be ready? For some it might be a moment God has prepared and purposed your life for, and for others it might be a lifetime of ministry and service. No matter the time frame, we should be postering our lives to live with the mindset of “for such a time as this”. When a moment comes in our life, to fulfill God's purpose, it often calls for a great commitment. Like Esther, it might be the kind of commitment that says, "I will do it, and if I perish, I perish. But I will know that I perished for the cause of God.” 

God is always working behind the scenes in our lives. We do not know what God is preparing us for, but all things are working together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose. There is no greater time than this to live your life knowing you were created in Christ Jesus for good works that God has prepared ahead of time for you to do!