Esther was a Jewish girl who was raised by her cousin Mordecai. King Ahasuerus married Esther, and she became the Queen of Persia. The scripture tells us that the King loved Esther more than all the other women in his harem. Esther had the king’s favor. However, she had to be courageous to risk her life and disclose her true identity.
When the king’s assistant, Haman, plotted to annihilate the Jewish people, Mordecai sent the news to Esther, and he also sent the following message to her:
And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. 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?” Esther 4:13-14
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Esther may have been a bit fearful in approaching the king since he had not invited her to his chambers for thirty days. However, Mordecai’s message had a sobering impact on her. He reminded her of two important facts.
The first was that God desired to save His people, and that if she did not respond to the call, God would use someone else to carry out that assignment. This is an important principle. Just because God has chosen us to fulfill His purpose, it does not mean that He will indefinitely wait for our obedience. God desires for us to partner with Him in accomplishing His will. Nevertheless, if we don’t respond, He may eventually use someone else to get the job done.
The second fact was that Mordecai reminded Esther that her position as the queen may have been for such a time as this. God had favored Esther in order to use her influence at this particular time. This fact applies to us as well. God’s favor in our lives has a purpose. His blessings are supposed to bring life to us as well as others. He expects us to use our favor for the benefit of others.
She gained clarity of vision through Mordecai, and she realized that her favor had a purpose. Esther became determined to approach the king even if it meant losing her life. She was no longer comfortable to just be a queen. She became courageous and risked her life in order to fulfill God’s purpose. God’s vision gave her the courage to face the injustice and stand in the gap for her people.
I have used my favor at times to stand in the gap for others. I knew that God was pleased, but my flesh and my soul had to experience the pain of rejection. I also had to face the consequence for standing in truth. Being courageous does not guarantee results, but it does please the Lord.
Are you willing to be courageous and to stand in the gap for others? How are you using your favor to bless others?
