"For such a time as this"
If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?"
Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: "Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die." (Esther 4:14-16 NLT)
The story of Esther is amazing. God uses his people in the most powerful & unforeseen ways.
Esther, through God's providence, has become Queen in a foreign land. An exiled Hebrew becomes the most powerful woman in the kingdom. And as beautiful as she may be, this goes beyond beauty.
Haman, the king's second in command, hates Mordecai the Jew & wants to take it out on the whole race. He persuades the king to set aside a day where everyone, everywhere can kill the Jews & take their land. A plan is set in motion that would annihilate a whole nation.
But God uses Mordecai & specifically Esther to derail the plot of Haman. She risks her life to enter the king's presence uninvited & plead for her people. Her final words before she does so is, "If I must die, I must die."
Mordecai encouraged her by saying that perhaps she was given this place of influence for such a time as this.
Do we see this sense of purpose in our lives? Do we believe that God has us where we are for such a time as this? We are where we are & have what we have not for our benefit & enjoyment alone but for God's kingdom. God did not make Esther queen just so she could live lavishly in the palace. God gave her a position of influence to be an influence. He put her where she was for the benefit of others. How are we using the things that we have, the influence we enjoy for the benefit of others?
The time is now to be engage in his kingdom. We are here for such a time as this. We are here for his purpose. What are we doing?
Esther risked her life for God's purpose. What are we risking to do his work? What are we sacrificing? How can we get out of our comfort zone?
Finally, as Tim Keller points out, we see in Esther a picture of Jesus. He is the true & better Esther who didn't just risk his life but gave it for our sake to intercede with the king for us.
The enemy had us set for annihilation until our advocate interceded for us. God crushed our enemy in Christ & gave us new life.
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