When Esther succeeded Vashti as reigning Queen next to King Ahasuerus, fear probably became one of the emotions that took over the most. Exiled into a country that had overtaken her people, she was raised by her cousin, Mordecai. Despite her having found favor with the king, she had still not told him of her heritage, and knew that the king could get rid of her just as easily as he had disposed of Vashti. Anyone who wanted an audience with the king waited for his signal, indicated by him stretching out his staff to them. If the king did not, that person was put to death.
When the time arose where the welfare of the entire Jewish nation was at stake, Haman, a ruler over the princes, wanted to destroy the Jews because of Mordecai, who would not bow down to Haman (Esther 3:2). Mordecai went to Esther to ask her to intercede on behalf of the people. When Esther hesitated, Mordecai responded, “… Who knows whether you have attained royalty for such a time as this?”
Explanations as to why things happen the way they do are often lacking, and confusion sets in as we strive to know the reason behind them. Job struggled with this often, asking questions such as, “Have I sinned? What have I done to you? O Watcher of men? Why have you set me as a target, so that I am a burden to myself?” He did not have the back story of his situation, that Satan was trying to get him to curse God, and forsake his beliefs. It mattered not to him; fact was, he was in an ordeal, and he did not know why.
Confusion of a similar nature can set in us as well. How have we found ourselves here? However, who is to say that our current status has not prepared us for a task that we must accomplish? John was exiled on the island of Patmos (Revelation 1:9), yet this isolation enabled him to write the seven letters to the churches and the revelation of Jesus Christ. When Sisera fled from the armies of Israel on foot, he came to the tent of Heber, only to have Heber’s wife Jael kill him with a tent peg when he fell asleep (Judges 4). The destruction of the Jews led Moses’ mother to put him in a basket and sail him down the river (Exodus 2), only to have that little boy grow up to lead his nation out of Egypt. Do fortuitous events happen? Absolutely.
I will perhaps never know what ultimately led me to leave Amarillo and come to school ten hours away, and there are events in your life that you will not be able to explain why they happened either. Perhaps they have led you to impact someone else’s life, or someone else to impact yours. Perhaps the situations you found yourself in have prepared you for an event that has yet to transpire, but one that will require skills not otherwise obtained. Mordecai’s advice can relate to you as well: “… Who knows whether you have (fill in the blank) for such a time as this?”
The conclusion to the story of Esther is that she interceded on behalf of her people, protected them from danger, and allowed the nation to continue. Had it not been for her situation, who knows what might have become of her people? Had it not been for your situation, who knows what might become of you?
Brady Cook