The book of Esther tells the story of how a Jewish girl named Esther became queen of the Persian empire and used her influence to save the Jews.

Esther 4:14 records part of a message sent to Esther by her cousin Mordecai: For if you remain silent now, then relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Who knows if you haven’t come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

Mordecai’s statement implies his recognition of God’s providence being at work. His message was “look at the influence you have. You might be in the best position to save our people!” Indeed, Esther had come to the kingdom “for such a time as [then],” to be an unlikely deliverer for those who, at the time, were God’s chosen people.

Esther’s situation is not the first in which God brought about good through seemingly unlikely circumstances (cf. Gen. 50:20).

Like those of old, God’s people today could be in situations that unwittingly provide us with great opportunities to do good for the Lord.

May we look to do good in all the situations we find ourselves in. Who knows…God may have placed us there “for such a time as this.”

– Michael Hickox