God’s love is all about experiencing His amazing gift of forgiveness, nurture, and care. But God has also chosen us to be ambassadors of that love and sometimes that involves stepping out to do things that humanly terrify us.
When I watch the news and see the global reports of war,violence, disasters and political manoeuvrings, I feel so small. What can I do to change anything? It’s so easy to fall into negativity, but I was challenged today by my quiet time reading in the book of Esther. Mordecai’s words to Esther resounded in my spirit and I believe they are especially true for someone reading this today who has been battling depression and inadequacy. You need to hear in your own heart, to know that you are loved and chosen for a glorious purpose. As Mordecai said to Esther, ‘Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?’ (Esther 4:14 NIV)
Our lives can seem chaotic and we’re so aware of our weaknesses and flaws, but God never makes a mistake and planned for you to be you from the beginning of time. Our feelings of inferiority are Satan’s lies as he uses fear to keep us from rising up in our God given royal authority. Fear as Esther’s immediate response when Mordecai asked her to go to the King to plead for the Jews. The fear of death was all she could focus on. It was a well based fear, as she said to Mordecai, ‘The King has but one law, that they be put to death unless the king extends his gold sceptre to them.’ (Esther 4:11) Fear grips us because so often it grows out of what seems to be fact and fills our consciousness to the exclusion of everything else. So Esther was distressed for her people, but she was paralysed by her fear.
How often do we react to difficult challenges like that? My tough early life robbed me of self-esteem and even now I often feel restricted by fear. When my Mum was becoming very frail and needed help with personal care I felt overwhelmed by my old feelings of inadequacy and wanted to run away.
When we are afraid, what might go wrong seems much more of a certainty than God’s empowering, but as we step out in love, we will see miracles happen. In the months before my Mum died, I was able to help her in very personal ways. I do believe her heart opened then to the Lord’s love and that she went home to be with Jesus.
When Mordecai challenged Esther, ‘who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?’ she suddenly understood that she was indeed chosen. She focussed on God and the power of His love and as a result, the Jews were saved from a terrible genocide
You and I are also chosen by God ‘for such a time as this.’It may be He is calling us to pray or to reach out in some way into an area of need and to use our gifts to bring light and hope to those around us. We are his royal representatives to our families, neighbours, work colleagues and communities. We will have incredible impact on our world as we pray and act out of God’s love anointing rather than hiding away in fear.
Father thank you for he inspiration we receive from Esther’s story. Thank you that you have also made us royal. Help us to rise up over our fears like Esther did and through our prayers and actions bring your love, hope and transformation to all we meet. In Jesus name, amen.
