Saturday, July 23, 2011

For Such A Time As This...

Esther 4:14 "Don't think that just because you live in the king's house you're the one Jew who will get out of this alive. If you persist in staying silent at a time like this, help and deliverance will arrive for the Jews from someplace else; but you and your family will be wiped out. Who knows? Maybe you were made queen for just such a time as this."

Some girlfriends and I have been going through the book of Esther following along with Beth Moore’s teachings.  This phrase <for such a time as this > is probably the most powerful in the whole book. Esther had a purpose to fulfill, and it required a difficult decision. She tried to run from it because of fear that she would lose her life – but the purpose of her life became greater than her fear.

Beth Moore said this “None of our purposes will be fulfilled easily. All of them will require the most difficult decisions we think we can make. Decisions that we may feel will practically kill us. Then God does something miraculous and we become something we’re not…”

Man… that is strong. There have been so many times I have had that feeling of conviction or leading that “throbbed relentlessly” in my chest. The kind that won’t stop until you obey or -God forbid- ignore until it goes away (you don’t want to go there).
Sometimes taking that step of obedience makes you feel like you could throw up… I always think I could relate with Jonah at these moments, running away… wishing you could hide from the ‘call’ of God.


However, the beauty of it is IN the obedience. Remember, we are created for HIS purpose.
Philipians 2:13 says “it is God who works in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure”

Every time you obey, you will find JOY on the other side, because you are acting on what you were created to do! We don’t fully know ALL that God has called us to, but as we take each step in obedience, the call of God becomes a little clearer. The piece of clay looks a little more like the masterpiece it is intended to be!!

Be quick to obey when you sense a leading from the Holy Spirit today… great or small. Practicing in the small areas helps us when the big ones come…. and they will come. For you were called FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS!
 

2 comments:

  1. Wow... I love it Elisa. I am so glad you are sharing about what you are learning in Esther. Thank you for being obedient in your transparency.

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  2. I love that phrase. It is so encouraging to remember Esther when it seems hard to obey. I can think, maybe God has put me in these situations to accomplish just the thing that I am trying to avoid!

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