How Do You Handle the Difficult Situations of Life, Part 3

Scripture: Esther 4:13-14

Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”

Insights: In our verses yesterday we observed Esther making excuses as to why she was incapable of helping her cousin Mordechai and the rest of the Jewish people.  Esther sent her response back to Mordechai through Hathach.  In today’s verses we see Mordechai’s response to Esther’s objections.  He did not throw his hands in the air and say, “Oh, well, I guess it was too hard of a request.  We all ought to just lay down and let them kill us now.  This situation sure is bad, but I guess that is what I get for being born a Jew.”  Mordecai sends back a subtle, yet direct, rebuke to his cousin Esther.  He informs her that God is going to save the people of Israel, but she ought not to think that she will be spared just because she is the queen.  Many Jews will loose their lives in this attack and she, living in the palace, would be one of the first once her identity was made known.  Mordechai then states, what is probably the most famous quote from this little book, “And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this (italics mine).”  It is for no accident that you have been born in this particular time in history.  God has brought you into this world for many different tasks and He desires you to full fill them.  Some of those tasks are going to be risky and you need to be willing to still follow through in obedience because you are alive right now for such a time as this.  Beloved, I want you to know that Mordechai was not just going to roll over and die.  He had heard from the Lord in his crying out for deliverance.  The Lord instructed him to speak to Esther through Hathach and now Mordechai was remaining faithful and persistent to the task in front of him  Beloved, let us remain faithful and steadfast to what the Lord has commissioned us to be about for His glory!

Questions:

1.  As one in the trial, are you persistent to what the Lord has revealed to you?

2.  Would others classify you as a finisher or a quitter when life situations get too hard?

Prayer: Father, I desire to be known as one who finishes well and runs hard after You.  Let me respond like Mordechai and fight through the obstacles of life and pursue You with all of my heart.  As I run faithfully to You, may it bring You glory.  Amen.