And who knows whether you have not attained royalty

for such a time as this?

Esther 4:14

Esther didn’t have a mom and dad, so she lived with her Uncle Mordecai in Susa, the capital of the 127 provinces ruled by Ahasuerus. Esther loved her uncle and always did as he asked her to do. God had a very special mission for this beautiful young girl.

One day she was unwillingly taken from her home to be a concubine in the king’s palace. (Put some pictures and emotions with that short statement.) Ahasuerus, the king, was to choose one from the many virgins brought to him to replace Vashti as his queen. He chose Esther from all the other lovely young women, crowned her as queen, and fell deeply in love with her.

Reading between the lines that you’ve just read, Esther’s life wasn’t exactly a bed of roses, was it?

God needed Esther to be in the palace at just this time and He needed her to be very influential in the king’s life. Done. An edict had been written that all of the Jews in Media and Persia (this included Esther and Mordecai) were to be annihilated on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month. These were the instructions given to her by Mordecai–and remember, she had always been obedient to her uncle. Esther was to go unbidden (a scary thing to do) in to the King’s chamber and tell him about the edict and asked him to protect her and her people. Sudden death awaited her if the king did not receive her. But the king did receive her. He did as she requested and her people were miraculously delivered. Mission accomplished.

Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. Psalm 139:16

And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this? Esther 4:14

She was just a little Egyptian girl but every facet of her life was carefully planned. The date of her birth; being reared as Pharaoh’s daughter; having certain authority because of who she was; being surrounded by a bevy of handmaidens; taking a daily swim in the river; going to a certain place in the river this very day–why? Because she had one important mission assigned to her by God–and that mission was to find the basket in the reeds where the baby Moses was hidden. (Exodus 2: 1-10)

Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. Psalm 139:16

And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this? Esther 4:14

Joseph was one of twelve boys born to Jacob–the next to last–and he alienated all of his older brothers with an attitude of superiority, conceit, and overt favoritism from his father. But God had chosen Joseph for a very special mission–to “preserve many people alive” and to move his father’s people to the land God had prepared for them. How could God hope to accomplish His plan with a spoiled seventeen year old? No problem for God. He knew exactly how to train Joseph to become a compassionate, wise leader to rule over Egypt, and Joseph carried out God’s plan for him perfectly.

Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. Psalm 139:16

And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this? Esther 4:14

Joseph in his royal position in Egypt was instrumental in saving many lives during the years of famine. And I am sure Esther did many other kind deeds from her position as queen. I’m sure Lydia touched many lives other than Paul’s when she opened her house for church. And I’m just as confident that you and I will never really know just which one plan we were designed to fulfill–what our special mission was, but we are in line behind Jesus, Gideon, Samson, Rahab, and others. There I am and there you are.

Are we willing to walk where He leads us–no matter where–that we may fulfill His very special mission for us?

Have I told God that I am willing? Have you told God that you are willing?

Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. Psalm 139:16

And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this? Esther 4:14