“For Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Ahasuerus, and he was great among the Jews and popular with the multitude of his brothers, for he sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his people.” – Esther 10:3
The book of Esther tells the remarkable story of how God used two individuals – Esther and Mordecai – to save His people from an enemy determined to kill them all. One of the most profound lessons of the story is how important it is for God’s people to embrace the time and place in which they live as a decision of God to be embraced rather than an accident to be avoided.
Esther and Mordecai lived in what seemed the worst possible time imaginable, yet God used them powerfully and blessed them abundantly. They embraced the possibility that God has sovereignly placed them precisely where they could make a difference. They risked their lives on that premise and God honored their willingness to act in faith. They saved their people and God gave them great influence and impact.
These days in which we live are also very challenging. These are perilous times for the faith and the church. We face turbulence socially, politically, legally, economically, and globally. Plague, famine, injustice, disaster, and warfare make the news every day. If you’re a follower of Jesus, you must make a choice each day…
Will you lament these times, wring your hands, withdraw from the world, and simply try to avoid pain? Will you get angry and lash out? Will you give up in futility? Or will you embrace these times in which we live as a sovereign placement by God Almighty? Will you embrace the fact that you have been called to represent Jesus in THIS time? Will you risk everything to speak and teach God’s truth in love, making disciples of Jesus Christ in THIS time?