For Such a Time as This
Lea Sylvester
I love the Old Testament account of Queen Esther, a beautiful young Jewish woman who put her life on the line to serve God and save her people.
Esther, (Hadassah was her Hebrew name), had been orphaned as a child and raised by her cousin Mordecai. We are told that she was fair and beautiful. Hadassah was also smart and brave. She was elevated from a life of relative obscurity – via rather unique circumstances – to sit atop the throne of the Persian Empire. King Xerxes chose her, from many, as his queen following a royal bridal contest. He was unaware that Esther and Mordecai were Jewish. It is unlikely that he would have chosen Esther had he known. Mordecai was then appointed to a low-level government position.
After Mordecai unearthed a conspiracy to assassinate King Xerxes, he quickly advised Esther. She, in turn, warned the king, giving full credit for the discovery to Mordecai who was richly rewarded for his loyalty. Mordecai told Hadassah (Esther) the following:
“Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement [help] and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14)
Meanwhile, Haman, Xerxes’ highest-ranking executive─an evil man who hated the Jews, devised a plot to have all the Jewish people killed, including Esther and Mordecai. King Xerxes agreed to the genocidal scheme, still oblivious to Esther’s Jewish heritage.
Once again, Mordecai learned of the conspiracy and urged Esther to reveal her Jewish heritage to Xerxes, saying, “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 royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)
Esther called the Jewish people to fasting and prayer and at risk to her own life and limb, devised a clever scheme of her own. She held a banquet for Xerxes and Haman wherein she revealed her Jewish heritage to the king and begged his mercy for herself and the Jewish people.
Xerxes was moved by Esther’s courage and love for her people. He granted her request and became enraged at Haman. He had Haman executed and promoted Mordecai to his post. Xerxes then pledged safety for the Jewish people.
To this day, Esther’s bravery, her faith in God and God’s deliverance of His chosen people is celebrated during the Jewish festival of Purim.
The Bible is rich with stories of brave women who were called to serve God. These stories, like Esther’s, are an inspiration to men, women and children alike. Such stories – such callings – are not exclusive to biblical times.
Women, you—every one of you who both love the Lord and wish to serve Him—are called “for such a time as this.”
Women are deeply concerned about our nation’s self-destructive trajectory. The burning question they ask is “What can I do?” Like us, they wish to preserve our nation’s Judeo-Christian heritage and secure the legacy we are leaving for future generations.
Women, your faith and action are needed now more than ever: Our nation is in imminent danger of self-destruction at the hands of its own under-educated, misinformed, disconnected citizens.
Our enemies around the globe are diligently working to exploit our ignorance and tolerance to bring the United States of America to its knees. It is time for God’s people to take a stand and do something. But to be effective, we must first understand what it is we believe, why we believe it, and what we can do about protecting our faith and our rights.
Indeed, as goes the old adage: “Knowledge is power.”
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children” (Hosea 4:6).
If we love Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and are diligently following the teachings of our Lord and Savior, we shouldn’t lack knowledge. So then, it wouldn’t be a stretch of the imagination to say, “My people are blessed because of their knowledge.” Let us never forget that we serve our High Priest, Jesus Christ, the Risen King. He is the promised Messiah and we must walk worthy in the calling He has given us.
Many attacks from the enemy today are directed at the family unit. As women and mothers, we are the “gatekeepers” of the family. Much like Esther, we are being called for such a time as this. Choices we make now affect our family, our children’s future and can help or hinder future generations. Remember the sacrifices of Esther and of other women in God’s Word. Be a strong woman of God, much as described in Proverbs 31. Our allegiance to God and to our families will result in blessings for those who desperately need them. Obedience to our Heavenly Father is not an option at such a time as this.
Questions or comments to: Sylvester.lea@gmail.com
The truth is that you need to make a positive impact in your own sphere of influence and community. Together, women of faith can help secure our nation for future generations. Because each of you were called “for such a time as this.”
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