My thoughts are turned today to this verse in the bible, where the man known as Mordecai asked a question to Esther, And these words which were spoken to one who had been divinely chosen and placed where she was at this time, in the kingdom, they also now echo out to us through this modern age in which we live. God has spoken to my heart concerning this question, with the particular emphasis on this phrase: For such a time as this. He has reminded me of how easily we can miss the correct context of this verse if not careful.
We must remember that God has placed us wherever we are, with a specific plan in mind. Through this question being asked, that phrase given, and those two words contained in the phrase: As this, all of these things God will use to let us know, if we read this verse along with the backdrop of what really was going on here in this book, that these were hard times, even lifethreatening, which Esther, Mordecai, and many other Jewish ones were facing during this biblical era. Times such as these required courage and endurance, to not give up, not compromise on God-honoring convictions, and to continue moving forward even in the face of fierce adversity and even discrimination. The wicked man Haman was having Jewish people murdered during this time, and he actually gained favor with the king, by manipulation and deception, it seems. But in the midst of such hardship, God had risen up one person who would courageously refuse to be bent, she just as Mordecai, in her own way, would refuse to bow, she would honor the king, but in actuality, Esther in doing what needed to be done, was not bowing to her circumstances, or beneath the weight of adversity, and the edge of the sword compared to the suffering of her own people, when weighted in the balance, really was as nothing, but the people without hope meant everything. The word that is also mentioned in verse 14, the word come, the original usage means: to touch. And it seems God may be saying through this verse that Esther had a touch on her life, one that was capable of flowing through her, and transforming those who were near her, for good. A touch can be warm but powerful in the life of another, when we hug someone, a family relative, for example, it lets them know they are respected,, appreciated, valued, and they are loved. For us who are saved, we have been given this touch, People are counting on us as Christians, in the hard seasons of life probably most of all, because that is when it counts, when the heat is turned up in our lives, and we are required to put up a fight, in other words, to fight the good fight of faith, which becomes tested more during these times. It is easier to welcome the opened doors of opportunities when all is going well, But even somewhere from inside a prison cell long ago, if we listen closely, we might hear the faint whispers of an older Apostle saying: Welcome the closed doors. These words can speak to the heart even now, Because though it is hard to be thankful and content when certain ones close in our lives, We have need to remember that God is working it all for our good, His glory. I have heard that there is a message in the mess. That is true, a story should be shared from the messes in our lives after God brings us through those times, but also, He may desire to teach us lessons of wisdom from those times as well, if we only would ask ourselves when the doors are shut, what is Jesus trying to lovingly tell me through this? And also, We must try to quit prying those doors open. God shuts a door, only out of love for us, He has our best interests at the center of His heart, But we all have at least one foot, and we take it, and right before it closes, we stick it there to keep just enough space opened as it pleases us. Why? Because we are good at holding on to the past, how things were at one time, and though some positive changes may suit us well, others we find very uncomfortable, hard to get used to. When a friendship you once had is not there anymore, when you loose the job you needed to pay the bills, or a head-on collision takes place near the road you are on, a wreck you feel was caused by yourself at the wheel. When life happens, it does not always seem to happen gracefully, But as the Apostle Paul stated, These things sometimes happen with calculated purpose, by the working of an unseen hand, for the furtherance of the gospel. Sometimes we do not like the lemons that life gives us, they seem sour to the taste, and we are determined to not make lemonade with them. But God may be trying to get our attention. So when that one closes, maybe another will open. Maybe not. But we, like those Christians we read about in God’s word, must choose who we will worship, We must stand when the going gets tough, we must love others in the way God desires us to, We are not placed upon this earth to offer flattery, but we are called to follow someone who is greater, higher, than any mortal person, than any situations we face, we are meant not to faint under adversity, but to rise back up again, and press forward for His glory. And even during times of uncertainty, The earth is still full of His goodness and His greatness, as is stated in the book of Psalm in the bible. Do not give up. The heavenly Father knows what He is doing, He sees the way ahead we cannot, and gives only good and perfect gifts to us. He holds and directs every door in our lives, as only a good Father does, for the protection and provision of His children. Be strong, walk in courage, with a loving boldness, stand fast in Him, He is for you, not against you, and those doors that have been closed by Heaven’s mighty hand, are shut for the preparation of greater things that we cannot fathom, until they happen, and we stand in awe of God, beholding what He has accomplished, and very humbly, we then bow before Him, and say, Thank You for the closed doors.