Where Do You Find Yourself?

Life is not always easily explained. There are times we find ourselves in situations and circumstances that make perfect sense to us. There are also times when it feels like the wrong place at the wrong time. Sometimes the reason for where we find ourselves is evident in that moment. Other times, in the moment, that reason eludes us, and we scratch our heads wondering, “Why?” Time is also often revelatory, and the reason might not be made evident until miles down the road, as we look in the rearview mirror – “Oh yes, now I understand.”

We also find ourselves in situations and circumstances in which God has us there for a very specific purpose. Sometimes, at least in my life, from my limited perspective, those moments just make no sense. While we can only see to the horizon, God sees past the horizon. He sees all the way around the planet. God knows the whole story. His plans and timing are always perfect.

In the Bible we see the story of Esther and Mordecai. In the Old Testament book of Esther, we read that King Xerxes had a falling out with Queen Vashti. The king then handpicks Esther to become the new queen of Persia (2:17). And in an ongoing feud, Esther’s adoptive father, Mordecai (2:7), refuses to bow down to Haman, who is a high official of the king. Haman becomes angry and plots to destroy all the Jews in the kingdom (3:1-6). Mordecai hears of this plot and reports it to Esther, but she does not want to tell the king of Haman’s plan because nobody, not even the queen, was allowed to approach the king without his invitation to do so (4:1-13).

Mordecai persuades Esther to help, and we read these words in 4:14 – “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”  

Esther agrees to talk to the king (4:15-17). She begs for protection of her Jewish people from Haman’s wicked plan. The king believes her story (7:1-6) and he eventually impales Haman on a pole that was intended to kill Mordecai (7:7-10). Fast forward to the end of the story and we see that Esther’s faith and courage saves her people.

So, I ask – Are you trusting that whatever situation that you find yourself in, it is because God has allowed it “for such a time as this?”

I encourage you to read the entire book of Esther. It is a short book, only ten chapters. And did you know that Esther is one of only two books in the Bible that do not specifically mention God by name? However, the second, Song of Solomon, has one verse (8:6) that can be interpreted different ways, thus leading to some translations inserting LORD into the text, while others do not.  

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