For Such A Time as This
By Brittany
Aimee Clay
Why God? Christians and non Christians alike
find themselves berating God with why's on
a daily, maybe even hourly basis. God why am
I fat? God why does he snore? God why won't
my children behave? God why do we have to go
to Church? Why do I have to love her? Why can't
I have sex before marriage? Why did my mother
beat me? Why did he rape me? Why do people
die? Why do the bills keep coming? God, why
me? "Why me" must
incessantly reverberate against the heavenly sky
twenty four hours a day seven days a week. It is
cried in desperation, frustration, amusement, annoyance,
shock, and still other times out of anger or through
tears. No matter the reason for posing the question,
the God of the universe has an answer. It is usually
after accusing God of not having our best interest
at heart that we begin to discern the answer to
our "why me".
Although women of the Bible
lived over two thousand years ago their plights
are not foreign to the twenty first-century woman.
That is why the Bible can consistently be used
to shine light on any "why me" situation.
(Psalm 119:105) One of the best things about the
Bible is that it not only sheds light, but it gives
direction. In the why me situations of life the
Bible suggests three points of action. First seek
God's face on the situation through prayer and
or fasting.(Philippians 4:6) Second, be
steadfast and determined to act as instructed by
God, no matter how intense the pressure might get.(I
Corinthians 15:58) Finally be patient and rely
on godly wisdom for continued direction. (James
1:2-3, Proverbs 24:6) Hadassah, more commonly known
as Esther is a woman who demonstrated the ability
to seek God's face, stand fast with determination,
and act in patience with wisdom.
Esther is best remembered for boldly approaching
her husband King Ahasuerus without having first
been summoned, an act punishable by death. Esther
exhibited such courage on behalf of her people,
the Jews, in order to keep them from a kingdom
wide extermination. King Ahasuerus, her husband,
signed off on the evil Haman's plot not knowing
that his favored wife was a Jew. Esther is certainly
admirable as she risked death to save her people,
but like many women of God she did not immediately
embrace God's calling.
The story behind Esther's ascension to the Persian
throne reveals God's favor on his people, the
Hebrews, even in exile. Esther was an orphan
whose cousin happened to take her in as his own
daughter. This cousin, Mordecai, helped Esther
in her quest to become the king's new wife. Everyone
who came into contact with Esther favored her.
This favor entitled her to the best living quarters
and the best servants during her time of beautification.
When she finally went before King Ahasuerus he
found her to be more pleasing than all the other
women before her and he crowned her queen.
Esther appointed her cousin Mordecai to a position
inside the king's court, once she became queen.
However there was a man who the king advanced
named Haman, that hated the Jewish people. He
particularly disliked Mordecai, because Mordecai
refused to bow down and worship him. Therefore
Haman decided to have the king order the extermination
of every Jew in the kingdom. The king, trusting
Haman's report of disobedience amongst the Jews
agreed. This decree went out to all of the provinces
in the kingdom. Even though Esther was Jewish,
she seemed unaware of the decree until her cousin
Mordecai brought it to her attention. Mordecai
was so distraught at the impending destruction
of his people, that he tore his clothes and put
on sackcloth and ashes. He then proceeded to
wail, loudly the Bible says, through the streets
of the city up to the king's gate.
Mordecai was in essence Esther's
father, but when she found out that he was at the
gate in a condition that kept him from being allowed
in, she did not immediately seek to find out what
tragedy had befallen him, she sought to have him
clothed properly. Esther was distressed to hear
about the state of her cousin, but her concern
seemed to be primarily his appearance. The story
is a familiar one. People of God blessed beyond
measure do get caught up in appearances, even though
God did not bless them for their appearance but
his. Since Mordecai refused to clean up his appearance
Esther sent to find out what was causing him so
much turmoil. Mordecai naturally requested that
she go in and beseech the king on behalf of the
Jews, her people. Esther's response was not I will
pray about, it was not I will go right away, it
was Mordecai the king has not asked to see me in
thirty days and if I go to him without first being
summoned I could be put to death.
Esther experienced temporary amnesia.
She forgot that God does not give without expectation.
She saw nothing wrong with placing concern for
her own life before the lives of thousands
of others, including the man who raised her. Many
times God gives, and Christians forget. They forget
that God did not give the spotlight to them to
receive the glory but to reflect it back to him.
Esther, her heritage concealed, also seemed to
forget that she was Jewish and that the edict therefore
included her. Too often Christians keep their true
identities past and present hidden. God allows
nothing to happen without his permission. His allowance
covers everything from victories to victimization.
Yet Christians sometimes prefer to keep certain
information tucked away, until they deem an appropriate
time for revelation. Yet while they wait for the
appropriate time, people literally perish. Esther
was willing to keep her heritage concealed and
watch her people perish, instead of making herself
vulnerable.
There is a Ron Kenoly song that
says "If you can use anything Lord you can
use me" and many Christians would jump up
out of the cushioned pew to belt such beautiful
lyrics to God while they simultaneously tucked
a few unpleasant experiences and memories into
the "except this box". That is precisely
what Esther implied when she told Mordecai that
his request would endanger her life. It is Mordecai's
reply that shows his faith in God and spurs Esther
into accepting her calling. Mordecai reminds Esther
that she being a Jew is not absolved from the edict.
However that she should not worry about the Jews
because if she did not step up and do her part,
God who was faithful would send someone else to
deliver them. Mordecai did not leave Esther wondering
as she tried to sit on the bench instead of walking
in her calling. He questioned how do you know that
this is not the reason you are queen.
Women of God how do you know?
Why did God allow you to have the parents you do
or do not? How do you know women of God that there
is not a specific reason, like Esther's that you
were called to marry that man? The problem for
know it all Christians with "for such a time
as this", is that the time is revealed later.
Had Esther known before she became queen that her
entire purpose was to serve as a means of deliverance
for her people, perhaps she would not have been
so hesitant when the opportunity came. But that
would not have required as much faith as simply
knowing that God allows nothing by accident. Mordecai's
words seemed to invigorate Esther and it is her
following actions that led to her well known heroic
behaviors.
Esther tells Mordecai to fast
with all the Jews in the city as she will do with
her maids. Once Esther recovered from her temporary
amnesia she knew what her calling was: to go into
the king on behalf of her people. However, knowledge
of the mission did not guarantee success. She needed
direction. That is why Esther fasted. Esther's
final message to Mordecai was "if I perish
I perish". She had already resolved to do
God's work. Many times Christians find themselves
agreeing to do God's work only if his plan meets
with their approval. Perhaps if mere human knowledge
could fathom the depths of God's knowledge, then
this method could work, but the scripture is clear
that our thoughts are not his and neither are his
ways our ways. (Isaiah 55:8-9) Therefore we are
in no position to evaluate him. When we fast and
or pray we can seek clarity, direction, inspiration,
and strength; but it is in no way meant as a way
to evaluate the aptitude of God's ways or plans.
The second thing that Christians
should emulate from this Biblical account is Esther's
determination. There was no after the prayer and
fasting I will see how I feel. There was not a
mid mission no God this is too hard so I quit.
Esther stuck to God's direction. There is nothing
wrong with knowing that only God's strength can
bring you through a situation. Jesus modeled that
in the garden of Gethsemane. But to give up or
turn back is not to simply say I am not able but
God, neither are you.
It is necessary to have accountability
that encourages you not to give up in a situation
that requires determination. Accountability can
serve as a reminder of what God's assignment is.
Oftentimes mid mission Christians alter what God
has said to do. It is not God who does the altering,
Christians do when they feel the task is too great
for God. Esther's determination was that she would
go through with the mission even if it meant her
death. If the reward of every Christian is in Heaven,
if earth is indeed only an assignment, then there
should be no hesitation about being determined
until death to complete what God requires.
Finally Esther exercises patience
and wisdom. One of the most difficult virtues to
consistently display in a get it yesterday culture
is patience. The way God instills it in his people
is by putting them through trying situations that
require great amounts of patience. Unfortunately
for restless seekers of wisdom, patience is often
the gateway to obtaining understanding. Had Esther
immediately gone into the king with her request,
she would not have left space for God to work.
Too often determined women of God attempt to manipulate
the situation instead of trusting God. Since
God's timetable is rarely our own, patience is
required to allow him time and space to move. In
between Esther's wisely planned banquets God stirred
the king to review his records. The king realized
that Esther's cousin Mordecai had saved his life
but had never been rewarded for his loyalty. It
was this realization that aided the success of
Esther's request and spurred the swiftness of Haman's
just recompense.
Women of God realize that the
answer to many of your why God questions is "for
such a time as this". No, the time is not
always today or tomorrow. Sometimes the time is
when you have forgotten what God has done, sometimes
the time is when you have forgotten where you have
come from, and still other times the time is when
you have allowed God to heal your wounds. Women
of God, you have an intentional Father. Don't miss
out on your time because you are not being his
intentional daughter.
