Channeling Esther

Today in History of Israel, our topic was the book of Esther. Esther is one of my favorite stories in the Old Testamnet, and probably the entire Bible. There is so much courage displayed throughout the ten chapters, courage of a seemingly normal Jewish girl.

Esther was choosen to be a canidate King Xerxes' search for a new queen. The story continues with plots to kill Esther's cousin, Mordecai, and her people, the Jews by the King's most trusted advisor, Haman. One of my favorite lines from the story is when Mordecai is urging Esther to go plead for the salvation of the Jews from the coming execution. She is afraid because she knows that if she goes to the King without being invited, she could be killed on the spot. However, Mordecai urges her by saying that she might have been placed in royalty "for such a time as this."

Let's stop there. God has plans for our lives if we allow him to have control. God's plans passionately pursue his followers, and cannot be missed. Like Esther, we have a choice to obey or to walk away. People time and time again say that they never know what God wants to do with their lives. It's hard to hear God's will when you are not listening for it. Therefore, as Christ followers, we are called to first be avaiable, and then be obedient. Esther was obedient to death. She knew the consequences, yet she continued in faith that she was in God's will.

As many of you already know, Esther lives and she delivers the Jews out of the evil, murderous hands of Haman. She had faith in BIG God who can do MASSIVE things.

I am going to Haiti this summer on an internship with Northwest Haiti Christian Mission. Though I am extremely nervous about this experience that is totally foreign to me, I find peace that this is what God is calling me to do with my summer. The story of Esther has been a complete blessing to me because though I am not saving a race of people in Syria, I am going to discipling believers in one of the world's darkest countries. However, I feel God has placed this burden on my heart of the Haitians, and that He is the one who has made a way for me to get there, just like he made the way through royalty for Esther. Who knows, maybe God has called me to Haiti "for such a time as this!" The only way to find out is to be obedient to his call by going and working hard to build His kingdom.

God Bless :)