By Reverend J. Loren Russell, BA, MDiv
Esther 4:14
“For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Have you ever wondered why you are where you are? Why this school? Why this job? Why this neighborhood? Why this house? The word “why’ can represent several parts of language. It can be used as an adverb to modify another word. It can be used as an interjection to express the strong emotions of a speaker. It can be used as a noun, representing a person, place, or thing. And it can be used as a conjunction to connect or group together phrases. When I asked “why” in my title, I was using it as an adverb to see if we could determine the reason, the cause, or the purpose for where we are today. Do you know why you are where you are today?
Queen Esther might have thought to ask the same question. She was in the position as queen of the nation, but for what reason? Her cousin Mordecai suggested that perhaps she was in that position for “such a time as this.” Her people were being threatened with genocide because of the schemes of a man named Haman, the chief advisor to the king. He convinced the king that the Jews were a threat to his kingdom and all of them needed to be killed on a particular date in the following year. Haman also offered to put 340 tons of silver into the king’s treasury to help finance their massacre.
Mordecai made a passionate plea to Esther, whom he helped to raise, to go to the king and convince him not to allow this slaughter. Her reluctance, however, was justified. Anyone who approached the king, even the queen, without an invitation could be killed. That’s when Mordecai challenged her by saying that she was, perhaps queen, for such a time as this.
Usually when we are challenged to examine the “why” of our position, our life is not on the line. Esther’s was! Her response has been recorded in the annals of history. She requested Mordecai to have the entire Jewish nation fast for three days. She and her royal court would do likewise. Then, she would go before the king. Her memorable words were, “If I perish, I perish.”
Why are you where you are today? It may not be for a nation-saving purpose like Esther, but it could very well be for the benefit of countless others beyond your ability to comprehend. When you ask, “Why am I here?” examine the situation and be willing to embrace that your purpose may greatly exceed your expectation. You may be where you are for such a time as this.
God Bless!
Rev. J. Loren Russell is President/CEO of The JLR Company for Church Financial Strategy Consulting; an associate minister at both Goodwill and The Greater Universal Baptist Churches in the Bronx; and creator & host of “Matters of Faith – The Radio Show” Mondays 8:00 – 10:00 PM. Listen on Matters of Faith on Facebook LIVE.
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