Making an impact for the Kingdom
To this day, Esther is one of the most recognized and celebrated women of the Bible. Her inspiring story of sacrifice and obedience to God serves as a powerful reminder to us that one person can make a big difference in the unfolding events of history. While a very unlikely candidate, God mightily used Esther—a young, orphaned Jewish girl—by raising her up to become the queen of Persia so that she would save the lives of the Jewish people from the threat of genocide and in turn, preserve Jesus’ lineage. Like Esther, God has a great call and purpose for our lives and He’s looking to partner with those who are willing to count the cost and take a bold step of faith for the advancement of His Kingdom purposes.
“For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14
As a young girl with her whole life ahead of her, Esther probably had a very different plan for her life than becoming the queen of the Persia. At first, the idea of undergoing a year-long beautification process to marry a pagan king would have probably seemed superficial and even blatantly against God’s will. Little did Esther know that God was at work behind the scenes, ordering events and circumstances in her favour and in the favour of His chosen people. Oftentimes, we find ourselves in the same position as Esther where we have our own dreams and plans for our life but then God interrupts them. We might not always understand what He’s doing in the moment but we can rest assured that God’s plan for our life is always better than our own and that He’s orchestrating events for our good and for the good of others.
As beautiful as Esther was, her true beauty was found in the posture of her heart. Esther was humble and willing to do God’s will no matter the cost. When Esther became aware of Haman’s evil plot to kill the Jews, she was faced with the difficult choice to keep silent and continue to enjoy her security in the king’s palace or to intervene on behalf of her people who were marked for destruction. Esther selflessly and courageously chose to approach the king on the matter, even though such a bold request could have costed her very own life. Out of reverence and obedience to God, Esther put everything on the line to obey Him and God blessed her by giving her incredible favour with the king that would ultimately deliver the Jewish people. Many generations later, Esther’s sacrifice and courage would be remembered and celebrated on the Jewish holiday of Purim.
Like Esther, God has positioned us for such a time as this. Details about our life that we may overlook like where we're living, when we were born and the people in our life are actually purposely and specifically orchestrated by God for His ordained plans. But following God requires sacrifice and a willingness to lay down our own ideas, dreams and plans to take up God's unique and greater calling on our life. God’s will for us is not always easy but it’s always worth the cost. If Esther had not taken up God’s call on her life, deliverance for the Jews would have come from elsewhere and she would have forfeited the blessing that extended far beyond herself and her generation. Unfortunately, many people today either knowingly or unknowingly give up the priceless reward that comes with being obedient to their God-given calling and instead choose to follow their heart's desires. May that not be the case! Whether you are called to ministry, the marketplace or your household, you have a different but important part to play in contributing to God’s kingdom on earth, which is a great honour and privilege. Esthers, take up your position and arise with boldness and a willingness to do all that the Lord has commissioned you to do, no matter what the cost!