For Such a Time as This

 

By Maureen Miller

 

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?

(Esther 4:14—NIV, 1988 edition)

 

Walking the writer’s path can be a scary, even threatening endeavor.

We live in precarious times. Our messages of hope in Christ are as important as ever but can cost us much. Do we waver in what we’re to write? Is it difficult to send out our words knowing obedience to God’s call may cost us friendships? Future opportunities? Others’ approval?

Do our words matter?

Esther knew of such and teaches us much. Orphaned, her Hebrew name was Hadassah, and she was raised by her cousin Mordecai, a Jewish man in exile. Because he knew of the hardships that could come to a Jew under King Xerxes’ authority, he instructed his adopted daughter to keep silent about her heritage when she was taken to the palace as, quite literally, a beauty queen contestant. Obediently, Esther remained quiet.

Asked what supplies she wanted when it came her time to go before the king, Esther desired only what was recommended, humbly acknowledging that another knew more than her about matters of outward beauty. Humility served Esther well, and she was chosen, likely for the character of her heart. Hence, she became Queen of Susa.

When an evil plot to destroy the Jews was discovered by Mordecai, he urged Esther to go before her husband and plead for her people. Though she understood death was the penalty for approaching the king uninvited—apart, that is, from an extension of grace—she again chose to act upon the words of her father, but not before three days of prayer and fasting. Because Esther knew doing so would birth wisdom, bolster courage. Afterward, she committed to boldly go before the king, stating, “And if I perish, I perish.”

Esther displayed important qualities that we, as Christian writers in an antagonistic world, would do well to emulate.

She was obedient.

She was humble.

She practiced spiritual disciplines to gain wisdom, glean courage.

She was bold in proclaiming her message.

In short, Esther heeded her adopted daddy’s words when Mordecai exhorted her, “And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”

Her words turned the tide of impending destruction. Indeed, her words changed the world.

So, too, our words. Directed by the King of kings, our Abba Father, our Savior and our Guide, they have unlimited potential. Supernatural power.  

Yes, for such a time as this.

Kind Father, help us write and speak with courage—always! Amen.

 Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

 

Maureen Miller—wife, mother of three, and Mosie to two—lives on Selah Farm, a hobby homestead nestled in the mountains of western North Carolina. With a passion for God’s Word, Maureen is an award-winning author and photographer, contributing as a guest blogger and to several online devotion sites, as well as to a variety of collaboratives. She prays to have eyes and ears open that she might experience God in the miracles of His created world and blogs weekly about what He has to say at www.penningpansies.com. Her debut novel is under contract with Redemption Press.