And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?
– Esther 4:14
A Jewish orphan raised by her older cousin appeared to be destined to a life in obscurity.
Then the king of the land became unhappy with his queen. He decreed that all the beautiful young virgins of the provinces be gathered together to be brought to the king. From them he would pick a new queen.
He chose Esther.
The kingdom stood at a crucial juncture at the time; political intrigue reached as far as the Persian throne. There was a plot afoot to assassinate the king, which was foiled by Esther’s cousin Mordecai. Meanwhile, Haman, a descendent of a long-standing enemy of Israel, was promoted over all the princes of the land by King Ahasuerus.
But Mordecai refused to pay homage to Haman. For this slight, Haman plotted revenge not only on Mordecai, but on every Jew in the land. He decreed a day of genocide by his new authority and even built a special gallows for Mordecai.
But God saw the evil planned against His people. He called upon Esther.
And with that, Esther stepped out of obscurity and into a drama that would touch all humanity. Because she was willing to lay her life on the line to intercede for the Jewish nation before the king, the lineage from which came the Savior was preserved.
Once again, the kingdoms of the world stand at a turning point.
The footsteps of an unseen enemy reverberate through the nations as he grows bolder in his genocide against the humanity. He defies anyone to stand in his way.
But God sees the evil planned against His creation. He calls upon us.
Will you step out of a life of obscurity to reach out on behalf of those who are perishing without a Savior? Are you willing to commit to prayerful intercession for others? Are you prepared for the messy business of helping a dying planet find its Deliverer?
It may require some sacrifice.
But who knows whether you, a child of the King, have not attained royalty for such a time as this?
