The story of Esther is simply that of an ordinary girl used by God in an extraordinary way. This orphan girl was thrust into a beauty pageant and crowned Queen of a vast empire…talk about a Cinderella story, huh?! This girl had a secret–a secret that could kill her. A turn of events, however, forced her to choose whether she would lay her own life on the line for the lives of her people. She was the only one who could save them. Could she have been crowned Queen perhaps for such a time as this?
Esther had a CHOICE to make. She could either save herself or save her people. We too have choices every day…choices whether to reach out in love to those who hurt us or not, study for our finals or not, spend time in God’s Word or not, etc. Esther faced a giant CHALLENGE. She wasn’t necessarily in what I would call a “happy-go-lucky” scenario. I mean what were her options again? Oh yeah, personal death or the death of her people. Hmmm…sounds like an easy decision, huh? Umm, no. We too face challenges every day. We live in this thing called life. James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.” Esther was at a point of CRISIS. She hit rock-bottom. In Esther 4, she asks Mordecai to join her in prayer and fasting for three days before she would make her decision. In our moments of deepest need, God is with us & is our very source of strength (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Esther chose to answer God’s CALL on her life. God has placed a call on each and every one of our lives. He has placed you at your school and in your workplace for a specific purpose. He has placed me at the College of Central Florida for a specific reason– to bring glory to His Name! How will you answer the call that God has placed on your life?
