Thought for the Month - June 2016

"For such a time as this" by Barry Adair

It was only a month or two ago that I was writing about a pretty, practical and purposeful woman from long ago. This month I want to write about another. Her name was Esther and she became Queen of Persia, the first great world empire, in 478 B.C. and her path to royalty was nothing short of amazing.

Esther was born as Hadassah ("Myrtle" in English) and was a homeless orphan Jewess being brought up by her older cousin Mordecai. At this time many Jews were living in exile in Persia (modern day Iran). But Esther's beauty was noticed by overseers sent out by King Ahasuerus and she became part of the King's harem. After a year spent in the harem, she was taken to the King who was so taken with her that he promptly took her to be his Queen!

Many will know the next portion of the story, as told in the early chapters of Esther. Effectively a plot was hatched by a senior Royal official named Haman, partly in response to his hatred of Mordecai, which could have effectively annihilated the Jewish race in Persia. Of course, at this stage, not even the King knew that Esther was a Jew. Mordecai suggested that Esther use her influence with the King in petitioning for the Jews. However, to approach the King without first being asked was punishable by death. So Mordecai's plan was simple and yet could have ended in the death of his beloved Esther.

In explaining his plan to Esther, it is Mordecai's words that I want to dwell on a little this month…

"…who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14, emphasis mine)

It was no coincidence that Esther was where she could be of use. Many years ago God had made a promise to Abraham that the Jewish race would be preserved. This was God's chosen people and if He promised that they would prevail, then they WOULD prevail. But it still needed Esther's faith and fearlessness. The easiest option would have been to say no. But she knew the right thing to do - and, with courage and guts, do it she did…

"And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish." (Esther 4:16)

I like what one commentator writes about this story…

What we must understand is that Esther is just like us. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Esther's God is our God. Israel was His people, and now we, as believers in Christ, are grafted in as His people (Romans 11:17). How God worked in Esther's life is how God desires to work in our lives. We may not be as good-looking as Esther, we may never have won a beauty pageant, and we may not be in a position of power, let alone Queen of the most powerful nation on earth. Yet, God oversees the events of our lives just as He did the events in Esther's life.

God calls everybody to use the gifts, the personality and the position that they have, but not everyone is listening. To listen to what God is saying means that we really have to be somewhere quiet. So difficult in this day and age but so essential. We all need to get alone and spend time with God. Today we have the complete Word of God available to us all. As Christians we need to listen to what God would be saying to us through His Word, day and daily.

Who knows who God will want to use at such a time as this? It may not be in this country at all but perhaps somewhere where persecution of Christians is rife today. You may be reading an auto-translated version of this thought many miles from Northern Ireland and God could be reminding you that you are needed for such a time as this. Even closer to home, God still needs His people for the furtherance of the gospel and that His will might be done.

For such a time as this are you and I open to His leading, to His challenge, to His will and to His work?

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)

Until next month (DV)…

Are you SURE that you have your place booked in Heaven? Read this if you're not!