For such a time as this

I just finished reading the book of Esther--one of my favorite books in the Bible. It is a romance, after all. Because of my love of history and my disdain for the modern, permissive and liberal culture we live in today, I've often asked God why I wasn't born a couple of hundred years earlier. Why did He send me to this time and this place? Have you ever wondered that? God carefully plans out the exact moment in time that we will be born. It isn't some random event or decision. God has a specific purpose for us to accomplish in our lifetimes.

The Word of God reinforces this idea with many scriptures which speak of God's will and obedience to His will for your life. Romans 12:2, Jeremiah 29:11 to name a few.

But never more is it expounded than in the book of Esther. You see Esther was a Jewish peasant who by God-ordained circumstances became a Queen. Nothing but good things happened to her over and over. Indeed, she must have felt very blessed and very thankful to God. But God didn't give her all these things just to make her happy. No, He had another purpose. You see, He had carefully positioned Esther in a specific place and specific time with enough power to accomplish what He planned. But when Esther was approached to follow out this plan, she initially said No. To confront the King and save her people could potentially have ruined her life and perhaps even cost her her life. She could have lost everything.

• You are here on earth at this time and place for a specific purpose and task.


• If you aren't obedient to God and don't accomplish your task, He will find someone else (For His purposes will always come to pass), but you will always regret it and will not receive your reward in Heaven. (Remember the parable of the ten talents and the servant who did nothing with what God gave him? Luke 19)


• Be careful to remember that everything you have, including your family, has been given to you by God to accomplish His purposes, not necessarily to make you comfortable. If you hold onto those things, you will eventually lose them anyway. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it Matt 16:35


• If you are obedient, even if it means you lose everything, including your life, great will be your reward here on earth and later in Heaven. So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.” Luke 18:29-30

Esther finally obeyed and in doing so, saved the entire Jewish nation. And she continued being queen and living in great opulence. Plus she got a book in the Bible about her! How cool is that? I wonder what would have happened to her if she had disobeyed? Humm..

Don't waste your time here on earth. Seek God's will for your life with all your heart. Put Him first above everything else. Spend time with Him and allow Him to guide you. Then be obedient to what He tells you. I promise you, You won't regret it!