“...And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king...”  (Esther 4:14-16)

Heading into  fall, we are launching a series titled Let’s Go! In the midst of an incredibly challenging, sometimes painful 18 months, we have seen God working throughout Chatham County and beyond. We believe God has positioned us alongside many other churches to bring a message of hope, salvation, renewal, and purpose to a world that desperately needs it. And we believe God has positioned you to be part of His work to bring good to your home, neighborhood, places of work… anywhere you happen to be. Let’s commit this season to say “yes” to God’s invitation into this good work. Let’s go!

We start with Esther. By the time we meet her in chapter 4, she has gone from being an orphaned Jewish girl raised by her cousin Mordecai during a time of exile in Persia, to queen of the empire. Not a queen in the sense of “ruling monarch,” but more in the sense of having captured the attention and infatuation of the king and becoming his wife. Not much power, but some possibilities. By the way, no one knows she is Jewish, which will come in handy.

Haman, an influential man in the kingdom, has convinced the king to decree genocide for the Jews. As at  other times in history, the Jewish people find themselves in the crosshairs.

In anguish, Mordecai reaches out to someone he trusts within the royal household, his cousin Esther, asking her to appeal to the king. This is risky . One wrong move on Esther’s part, and she could end up dead for violating royal protocol. Identify as a Jew, and she will be in mortal danger should the decree stand.  Yet, after a significant nudge from Mordecai, she agrees, asking the entire Jewish community for support. This was her Let’s Go! moment, and she went for it.

What are the odds that as a royal decree is made assuring the annihilation of the Jews in the Persian empire, a Jewish woman would happen to be the king’s wife? Who else would be better positioned to intervene and appeal on behalf of the Jews?

Esther was the right person, in the right place, at the right time. Recognizing and acting on that saved an entire people. 

Though the stakes for us may never be that high, God often places us in situations where a word of blessing, an act of service, an expression of love, even a note of correction can make all the difference. Can you recall instances where you were at the right place at the right time to be part of something good? Ask God to give you eyes to see the opportunities that are right around the corner and commit to saying “Let’s go!” when they arrive.