Esther 4:12-15
“And they told Mordecai what Esther had said. 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. 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?” Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai,”
It’s not often that Scripture points out a female heroine. Because of this, Esther’s willingness to die to save her people has been the only portion of these verses I had formerly focused on. This time, it was Mordecai’s faith that jumped off the page.
Mordecai influenced Esther into her position and his faith moved her to action. “…If you stay silent at a time like this, help and deliverance WILL arrive for the Jews from someplace else; but you and your family will be wiped out.” Moredecai’ was certain their deliverance would happen. Not “maybe,” not “what if.” He said help WOULD arrive – through her or someone else. Don’t miss it, he was saying that God can work through you or around you, but He is going to work. Now is not the time to play it safe – safety equates to death or irrelevance.
Somewhere over the last several years, I decided I would rather keep my mouth closed than risk pain. I convinced myself to play life safe, to live a “good” life, to stay away from attention – not realizing I was creating an ineffective life. Sometimes we need jarring words to remind us to move.
God is moving. He is moving in your families, He is moving in our church, and He is moving in our world. He has placed EACH of us in our current positions (family, job, community) for such a time as this. God is calling us to a life of action over safety. If we choose a “good,” safe life, He will find someone else to help and deliver those who need Him. I don’t know about you, but I want to be used by God. I want Him to work through me, not around me. How about you? Who do you want to be for such a time as this?
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you?Explain – what does the passage mean?Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today?Respond – how is God leading you to respond?