For such a time as this

 (This is something I wrote for a speaking activity last year at ARISE)

Once upon a time....
There was a brave and beautiful young woman named Hadassah, or better known as Esther. I really admire her and she has become one of my ideals, someone I personally want to be like, next to Jesus. There are several reasons for my admiration. Everything Esther did shows God's love. Her life shines like a star in the Bible account. Which, incidentally, is what Esther means. Her original name, Hadassah, means compassion. I think both of these names describe who she was and who I want to be.
Esther was probably a kind and compassionate young woman, who cared for others. I imagine she was humble, serving others with hardly a thought for herself. All things she did showed God's love. Her life was a shining star- God shone through her. Because of this, she was beautiful. Yet, she remained humble. In spite of her beauty, she was not conceited, or overly focused on herself. She remained focused on others, and that is why she was beautiful.
One day, she became part of a contest of women all eagerly waiting to see if they would be the next queen. In the midst of this change she remained true to God, though for security reasons she did change her name. Eventually, she did become queen. Now in the kingdom there was a man who had worked his way up to the highest position, short of being king, in the kingdom. His intents, however were not good. When he saw Mordecai would not bow down to him, he thought to get rid of all the Jews.
Isn't that how Satan works? He wants to wipe out all of God's people, to ruin God's plan for humanity. But God steps in every time. Through supernatural power, or angels, or through us. I think He prefers to use us in His plans whenever possible. This time, He chose Esther. She was willing to answer His call. Are we willing to listen to God's call and do what He asks of us? I want to be willing to do what God asks of me and give everything up for Him as did Esther.
In Esther 4:13,14, it says, "Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king's palace anymore 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?"
I want to break this verse down a little. First, we should not think that we are so sheltered that we will escape persecution. If we aren't willing to share God no matter what the cost, other calamity may come to us and others will share the message, but we may be lost. Perhaps we have come to the kingdom for such a time as this.
In order to be ready for the hard times, we need to be so grounded in God's love and selfless service to others that we will be prepared and God will keep us strong, as He did Esther. Then we will be able to say, as did Esther, "If I perish, I perish," Esther 4:16. Someday, we may have to go against the law of man in order to obey the laws of God- that's fine. Esther did, too. Peter did. Even Jesus did. It's nothing to be afraid of.
If we have a firm relationship in Jesus then nothing will scare us anymore. Then, and only then, will we be able to give up everything for God and for others. To go to the greatest lengths for God and what we believe. Like Esther, I want to love God and others so much and be selfless to the point that I am not focused on myself anymore. I want to give all to God, even my life if that's what it comes to. Jesus gave all for me, why shouldn't I be willing to give everything to Him?
He died for me and for you! So lay down your life for Him and to Him. Give Him everything, because you love Him and He gave you His all, even His life.
In John 3:16, it says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believed in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
That's the beauty of it. He gave His all, out of love, so that we wouldn't have to perish. And yet, because of our love for Him, we can be willing to give our everything, even our lives for Him. And we won't care about our life on earth anymore, because we have a heavenly one that will be so much more beautiful and glorious. All we will want to do is invite as many other people to share that beautiful eternity with Him. In closing, I want to remind you of the importance of love to this relationship. In John 15:13, it says, "Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. If we really love God, our love will so grow that we will give everything for God and for others. We will give our lives for our friends, and our enemies too. I hope you will get to experience this love and relationship with God and others so instead of being selfishly focused on yourself and your wants, you will shine like Esther and be willing to give everything to God. That is my prayer and I hope it is yours too.