Real Hope: The Book of EstherSample

The Right Time And Place

Those of us who believe in a personal God revealed in Jesus, believe that He can arrange things in such a way as to ensure we are in the right place at the right time. Our text today is an excerpt from the book of Esther that recalls a time when the Persian king decided to wipe out the Jewish exiles in his kingdom. One of the Jews, Mordecai, got news of this and approached his relative, Esther, who was married to the Persian king. He pleaded for her help, which she was initially reluctant to give. Mordecai persists and reminds Esther that perhaps God had put her in just this place at just this time in order to secure deliverance for her fellow Jews.

God is not micro-managing the universe and prearranging every detail or He would be the author of evil as well as good. But He is entirely capable of working out circumstances to fulfil His purposes. Esther’s rise to be a Jewish queen to a Persian king seems unlikely. But we see here that God may have put her in this place at this time for a particular reason: time, place and circumstance need not be accidental features in our lives. The hidden hand of God may be at work. If we find ourselves in an unexpected situation at an unexpected time, there may be a reason for it.

written by DAVID REAY