For Such a Time as This…

If I were asked who is one of my favorite women in the Bible, my answer would have to be Esther. That woman was a rocking chick! I love the entire story.

There is a point in this book of the Bible where Esther is given a challenge by Mordechai that frightens her to her core. The very task may cost her her life. Mordechai tells her:

Do not think that because you are in the King’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to a royal position for such a time as this? Esther 4:13 – 14

For such a time as this…

I was driving back into town the other day kind of in a daze. I had a long day and had been driving quite a while and has been thinking about all the things I do. I do really like to get out there and do things. I was thinking about why that is, and if I am to be honest I have always kind of had an inkling it is because of the losses I have had in my life, I feel like I have to keep going, and doing. When I am out there, busy and doing – I am not dwelling. I am not the same person when I am alone.

So on this day as I am driving and tossing all this through my head, I start looking at what is around me. I see a guy walking on the side of the road that I knew from school. I wonder where his life has taken him and thinking he was put here in Brainerd, in this same era as me. I wonder if God’s purpose in his life has reached him. I wonder… if it has reached me.

In front of me is a large motor home with bikes hanging off the back. These people, wherever they are traveling to, or from, have also been placed here at this time. Have they found God’s purpose for their life? Next to them is a couple of motorcyclists enjoying the beautiful weather and each others company. How about them? How about the kid passing me in a low rider black car with a sticker of a hand grenade on the back bumper?

… and then back to me. Am I out there just to have a good time “doing?” Or am I missing the bigger picture of why God has placed me where He has… in this century, now – here… for such a time as this.

I wonder if sometimes by doing, am I missing what His will is for me? Am I so busy out there living, do I miss what I am living for? Or has God placed me in these events and activities to be there for a reason… am I reaching out to people enough? Does God look down and say, “Child – you are here, in this place, in this moment, for such a time as this.”?

I guess my prayer is that God does use me and direct me to be where He needs me to be, with the people He wants me to be with. I pray I can tell the difference of doing for me – and doing for Him. And I pray that when those moments come that God has me “for such a time as this” that I am fully aware of that moment and don’t miss it because I am too busy “doing.”

(This devotion will have a follow up post within the next few days… I have more thoughts on this especially after viewing a recent video on “Living Stones”)