Such a Time as This (Esther 4:12-14)

Esther 4:12-14

12 And they told Mordecai what Esther had said. 13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

            When Esther, rightly frightened, tried to get out of the dangerous plan presented by Mordecai, he responded with the famous words above.  How often have we heard the concept of being brought into the world “for just such a time as this.”  Songs have been written, sermons have been preached, appeals have been made all over Christianity calling us to step up because we might have been put here on earth for just such a time as this.

            Sadly, many of those appeals miss the other side of Mordecai’s words, the important things that come before the famous line.  Mordecai did not simply appeal to Esther by telling her that she was the very one made by God for her unique role.  Yes, he did appeal to that issue, but only slightly at the end of his speech.  No, Mordecai first reminded Esther of two important truths, namely that God was in control and that she would fall if she did not serve him.

            Mordecai told Esther that God would, without question, bring deliverance for the Jews.  There was no hint in Mordecai’s appeal to Esther that would make Esther think that she was indispensable in this program.  No, with or without her help, God would do what God would do.

            Mordecai also told Esther that, in her case, she would not be rescued from the evil plot did she not find herself serving God.  Mordecai was confident that, should God choose another other than Esther to save the Jews because Esther was unwilling to take the risk, God would also not save Esther’s life in the process.

            The reason that I point these things out is simply that too often we look at only one little line from Mordecai’s speech, and we make service to God completely man-centered.  We want to serve because we want to be indispensible.  We want to be the superhero that God calls on to save the day.  But this is not, nor has it ever been, God’s position.  God is sovereign.  He will accomplish his will with or without us.  We cannot keep his kingdom from coming, his will from being done.  God will be victorious.

            The question for you and me is not one of helping God accomplish his plan.  IF you are a Christian, the question simply comes down to how much joy you want to have in your life.  God will give joy to all who give him glory.  Nothing will make us more joyful than being used by God in his work for his glory.  No, we are not needed by God.  It is an honor, an infinite honor, for God to allow us to be on his team, serving his purposes, giving him glory. 

            Yes, God has put us where we are for just such a time as this.  But such a time as this simply means that this is the time when God calls on his children to serve him and take the gospel to the nations for God’s glory.  HE can and will do his work with or without us.  However, if we will join him, we can have great joy and lives of meaning.  IF we refuse, God will still do his work while we miss out on what he created us to enjoy.