MARCH 17

Esther 4:5-14

FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

The phrase "for such a time as this" refers to the calling of a person to answer a need at a particular point. It is used by Mordecai to call Esther into action at this pivotal point in Israel’s history. Esther had sent Hatach, her trusted servant, to ask Mordecai what was distressing him. Mordecai told Hatach everything that happened and how the Jews were going to be destroyed. He gave Hatach a copy of the decree to show Esther and instructed her to go to the king to plea for her people, the Jews. Now was the time to reveal Esther’s Jewish identity, to save the Jews.

But Esther was afraid. Her fear was not for the destruction of the Jews but for her own life by going to the king without being called. A person could be put to death, unless the king held out his golden sceptre. Esther was afraid to die because the king had not called her for the past 30 days. Her reply to Mordecai was no, and Hatach passed the message to him.

This time, Mordecai confronted her with rebuke. If Esther thought that by being queen she would be spared, Mordecai told her not to deceive herself. e decree was for all Jews without exception. e truth about Esther’s identity would eventually be revealed and she couldn’t escape. Mordecai then told her the consequences of keeping quiet. Deliverance would still come to the Jews from other means, but God would hold her accountable and destroy both her and her family if she kept quiet. Finally, Mordecai hit home the point that God put her in this position for such a time as this – a time of great need. Esther was perfectly placed, both as Jew and as queen, to answer this need by pleading to the king on behalf of her people.

God has also perfectly placed us where we are for a purpose. Don’t think lightly of where God has put you. It may be to see how you react to someone who is rude to you. Do you get angry and try to take revenge? Or it may be God putting you through a test to see if you get jealous of siblings when parents give them something? Take that step of faith out of your comfort zone, to be used by God for a time such as this. Don’t just react, pray before you react in the same way as you may have done before you accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

Thought: What are the needs of those around me that God can specifically use me to meet?
Prayer: Father in Heaven, open my eyes to look out for the interest of others. Use me Heavenly Father, especially to meet their spiritual needs by being a brave witness to share the gospel of Christ with them. In Jesus’ name, Amen.