Chosen For Such A Time As This

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him” (Philippians 2:13 NLT)

Welcome back dear student, have you ever wondered why you are here? For what purpose did God have you live at this very moment in time? Why not a couple of hundred years ago? We look wistfully back at the old days, thinking things were better then - but that breeds discontentment friend. Time waits for no man. We must adapt and be present to enjoy our lives. It’s a trap to live in the past, because then we get left behind.

The book of Esther tackles a major life question - why God chose us? (John 15:16). Esther was an orphan being raised by her cousin Mordecai. They were displaced Jews living in captivity in Persia. King Xerxes was looking for a new queen, so beautiful young girls were brought into the palace to see if any of them were suitable. Yes! I agree - today this would be unacceptable, but that was the culture back then.

Esther was coached and prepared in the harem for a year before she saw the King. She was humble and accepted advice from those who knew him. On the day she was brought to him, the King fell in love with Esther, and hey presto: she was the new queen!

All was well until a wicked palace official called Haman who hated Mordecai, tricked the King into decreeing a new law to wipe out the entire population of Jews in Persia. The King was unaware he had now placed a death sentence upon his own wife’s head - for no one knew that she was Jewish. Esther was frightened and felt helpless, but Mordecai put it to her that perhaps the reason God had elevated her into this position, was to save her people?

There are times in everyone's life where we are faced with a choice: whether to bow down and compromise; or, confront the enemy and displace him to dismantle his schemes.

“For if you remain silent at this time, liberation and rescue will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish [since you did not help when you had the chance]. And who knows whether you have attained royalty for such a time as this - and for this very purpose?” (Esther 4:14 Amplified Bible).

Esther took courage, prayed and fasted with her people, and God delivered them from their enemies, and Haman who had tried to destroy her, was himself destroyed, with all his sons. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God” (Hebrews 10:31).Sometimes it can feel like all hell has broken loose, yet in the midst of the trial if we will wait upon the Lord and trust Him, obey His instructions, and declare His promises, we will see God doing what we never dreamed possible (Ephesians 3:20). It takes courage and wisdom, to follow God’s blueprint.

In His hardest moment Jesus prayed, “Father…not My will be done, but Yours” (Luke 22:42). In the Lord’s Prayer we ask.. “May Your Kingdom come, May Your will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Foremost in Jesus’ life was His total submission and trust in His Father’s plan. “For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested: that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).

Confronting enemies and giants is part of every assignment, but God’s victory is assured. Jesus stuck to God’s plan and won for us Salvation through His sacrifice. We love God’s blessings, but it’s in the sacrifice of enduring difficult times, trusting His Love and Mercy, that we grow and see His good plans unfold (Jeremiah 29:11; Isaiah 1:19; Isaiah 43:19).

In hard times it is a sacrifice to stay positive, but if we’re willing and courageous God will guide us through, strong!