Read Esther 4

“And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. 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 4:13–14)

An edict had been set forth to massacre all of the Jews in the Persian empire — a demonic decree brought into fruition by a wicked Agagite named Haman. Esther, a Jew and the Queen of Persia, must act! She must intercede for her people.

However, to enter the king’s court without being called meant certain death. The only exception was if the king put out his golden scepter. This was the risk Esther faced to go before the king and petition for her people Israel. And because of the precedent set by the insubordination of the previous queen — Queen Vashti — Esther’s unlawful entry into the king’s court was all the more dangerous and uncertain (see Esther 1:12).

If it were not for her adopted father’s powerful words — Mordecai — she may have fallen prey to silence and idleness.

Mordecai first reminds Esther that to do nothing was not an option. "Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king's palace if you remain silent." Second, he reminds Esther of the opportunity — that deliverance would indeed come and it could come by her hand. Most importantly, he reminds her of the greater divine purpose for her being queen. "Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

It was time for Esther to wake up to the reality that God had a plan to use her in her current position. It wasn’t just happen-chance that she was queen. She was put there by God for such a time.

We must understand the words of Mordecai for our own lives as well. We must not think that the positions we hold in our jobs, the neighbors living next to us or the exchanges we make throughout the week with others are all mere coincidence. Nothing is coincidence. There is purpose for why God has us where we are. We have been put there for such a time as this.

The Apostle Paul says to the church at Ephesus —

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)

Notice — God has prepared beforehand our current situation in order to use it for an eternal purpose.

Certainly, it’s human nature for us to look for an escape from a trial or be unsettled by difficult circumstances. But when we face such things, perhaps we should be looking at why we were placed there. The next time you ask God, “Why? Why is this happening to me? Why did you allow this?" The answer to that question is found in Mordecai's weighty words: “Because I've placed you there for such a time as this."

Do you believe there is a purpose and plan in God’s will for you? There is! By all means, lean into it and trust God through whatever you face. Seize the opportunities before you to bring God glory! You may not see it as vividly as Esther did hers, but purpose is there. Don’t ever live with coincidence as your fallback.

Beloved, you are where you are for a reason — for such a time as this.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

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