Esther 4 - For such a time as this

We are not told why Mordecai thought Esther should enter the "beauty contest" in chapter 2, maybe it was just because she was beautiful and it seemed like a good idea at the time. However, the things that happen to us can sometimes be of far greater significance than we ever imagine and work out in ways we never dreamt of. In preparing for the future we like to plan and we like to know exactly what is going to happen. We like to be in control. Now it is good to look ahead and it is wise to plan, Proverbs and Jesus tell us so, but we can never know everything, never anticipate everything, never plan for every eventuality. We are not in total control. The answer is to trust God. Faith in the Lord is our security for the future.

Mordecai was deeply troubled, to say the least, about the edict, as were all the Jews. Esther heard about Mordecai's distress, but evidently did not know about the edict to kill all the Jews. Mordecai sent Esther a copy of the edict and instructed her to go to see the king to plead for mercy.

This was a very dangerous thing to so, one could not just go and see the king when one pleased, even if you were the queen. 

Mordecai has no time for this excuse. Remember that in Chapter 2 we are told that no one knew Esther was a Jew, so maybe she thought she would be safe. We might think Mordecai is being a little harsh on Esther's motives, but when we encounter deadly serious situations all sorts of things go through our minds. Mordecai believed that salvation would come to the Jews one way or another, and tells Esther that she would not escape. Also Esther would still suffer. 

When things are really difficult we need to realise that there is no easy way out. If we seek an easy way out we may find that we just run in to more trouble.

More positively, Mordecai says that maybe God had placed her in such a position for such a time as this. God controls all sorts of aspects of our lives. Now see how this works, for people get all het up about pre-destination. God had planned things, yet Esther's decision to enter the beauty contest mattered, all the preparation mattered. And now the decision that she was about to make mattered. God's decree and sovereignty does not mean that our lives do not matter, rather it gives real purpose and significance to our lives.

So Esther agrees to do as Mordecai said and asks all the people to fast and pray. This is about the nearest we get to religious content in Esther!