God Opens Doors For Such A Time As This

Esther 4:14-16---For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement 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? Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

Mordecai's fellow Jews must have wondered how he could justify sending his stepdaughter to try out for the queen of Persia. After all, the King was not a believer. The sovereign hand of God had placed her just where she needed to be when the Jews came under attack. We know Mordecai was not a compromising individual for he would not bow to Haman, and that is what was the source of the threat toward the Jews. Haman was a close friend of the King. The King ordered everyone to bow before him because of his position, but Jews do not bow to men. This made Haman furious. When he found out Mordecai was a Jew, he wanted all Jews exterminated. He convinced the King to issue the decree. The King did not know his new queen was a Jew. Mordecai and many of the Jews fasted and prayed that God would deliver them. When Esther saw he was dressed in sackcloth, she had a messenger find out what was wrong. Mordecai asked her to plead the case before the King. If she went into his presence without being summoned, she could be executed. Mordecai told her she would be executed anyway, just for being Jewish. She asked the Jews to all fast and pray for her for three days and then she went in to see the King. She had decided that if she was executed it would be for a just cause. How could she live with herself if she did not try to save her people? We could use some of her desperation. We often fear sharing salvation because we think we might be rejected, but we are sharing with them to save their souls. The life of a nation was at stake. We are not so fearful of losing our lives, but we do face rejection. We have to say, "If we are rejected then we are rejected." People still need to know the truth. God placed Esther where she was to serve a purpose. He has placed you where you are also. Your friends and acquaintances are not in your life by accident.