For Such a Time

What time is this? The Bible asks the question: Was Queen Esther was chosen by God to save her people? The phrase used was "for such a time as this." This was a time of great hazard and risk, a time when the Jewish people were destined to be exterminated by Haman, a time when entering the King Xerxes' presence uninvited could mean death for Esther, his queen. Xerxes i've already placed his previous queen with Esther after she disrespected him. Esther has good reason to fear her husband's wrath; Xerxes had already replaced his previous queen with Esther after she behaved disrespectfully towards him. But Esther realized the need for her intervention on behalf on her people.

But for Esther to intercede correctly, she required more than courage; she also needed God to intervene. So Esther instructed her cousin Mordecai to gather all the Jews in Susa to fast for three days as would she and her maids. Only then would she present herself before the king. Her willingness alone wouldn't accomplish what she needed. So, she made sure God was supporting her and providing for her in her task.

Esther did succeed and she saved her people. But she succeeded because she put God first in her plan. We need to learn to do the same.