“If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 NLT)
You were born for such a time as this! Nothing about you has been an accident. Everything from your size, weight, eye color, intelligence, family, friendships, the type of work you do or did, the person you married or the reason you chose to stay single, your voice, personality, preferences – everything about you was designed by God to allow you to become the person He designed and desires for you to be.
He even factored in the sins you’d commit, the lies you’d tell, the thoughts you’d ponder, the wrong decisions you’d make, it’s all part of why you are the way you are today. He’s perfectly placed you where you are, with all your “credentials” to be His voice at just such a time as this.
Do you realize there are people who will only hear what you have to say to them? And I’m not speaking of the sound of your voice, I’m referring to the content of your conversation. There are people in your spheres of influence who trust you, love you, respect you, who would listen to you and believe you if you took the time and made the effort to speak the truth of the Gospel to them.
And yes, I can hear you! “But I’ve tried, and they shut me down!” Yes, been there, but this is a new day, perhaps you or they have had an experience, perhaps a medical issue, a divorce, an accident, the loss of a job or a death of someone they loved deeply. Whatever it was it positioned them to be a more careful listener, especially to you – to your voice.
Esther approached the king regarding the plight of her people. He likely didn’t have a clue about the Jews, nor did he care that she was of Jewish descent. All he cared about was that she was beautiful and pleasing to him in many ways. Why did God make her so beautiful? Because He was able to see all of this playing out before the creation of the world.
And just as surely as He designed and created Esther, He designed and created the king to be attracted to and influenced by his queen. Nothing catches God by surprise or off guard, nothing then, nothing now. And the irony is, it’s not only good things that He sees and uses. Mother Theresa was no knockout, actually anything but, but she changed her world because she saw a need, spoke up and did something about it.
Perhaps you’ve been abused, mistreated, taken advantage of and you believe that you’re “used goods” and God could never use you. That’s exactly the reason you’re exactly the person He can use to have a voice among others who have suffered in ways just like you.
The mistake we often make is believing that because we’ve had such a wretched past God wants nothing to do with us. Quite to the contrary, our Holy Father has a special place in His heart, not only for people LIKE you, but specifically FOR YOU! You’re the apple of God’s eye, and yes, He knows every gory detail. He didn’t cause your pain, nor make things happen in your life as they did, but He was nonetheless with you, walking with you, crying with you, preparing you for such a time as this when you could raise your voice to His honor and fame.
The only question is: will you?
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 