...For Such a Time as This

There is no doubt that we are living in unprecedented times. If you cannot understand this statement, you have not been paying attention. But regardless of whether you pay attention or not, you will be affected. There are constant debates in the public arena about what is going on, but surely, this is a revealing time in the Body of Christ. The LORD God is revealing where we are in Him and showing us ourselves in this season. This is the time to work on your relationship with the LORD God. This is the time you should be searching your heart and making sure that you are DOING what you are purposed to do.

In the fourth chapter of Esther, we see that Esther is reacting to news that Mordecai, the cousin who raised her, brought to her. Mordecai is in an actual state of mourning because he received news of a decree by Haman, one of the king's top lieutenants, to destroy all of the Jews in the kingdom. Thankfully, Mordecai had instructed Esther (whose name was also Hadassah) not to reveal to anyone that she was Jewish. That gave her a position of strength and also a measure of safety as one of the king's favored queens. When the decree was given, it also placed her in a strategic position to make change. Mordecai, realizing the implications of all of this, reminded her that she was not safe just because she was one of the king's favorite queens. She, too, was in danger. He reminded her that she shared the lot of the entirety of Jewish people and if she chose to be silent at this critical time, she may never get another time to act. Mordecai reasons that this occasion may have been the very reason that she was in the king's palace.

Timing and seasons are important in the work of God. He places people where they need to be to serve a particular purpose, for His purpose (Ephesians 1:9). Esther was placed in the king's court to save the Jewish people from certain destruction through the evil plot of Haman. The LORD God has placed us in strategic places during this pandemic to serve His purpose. Some of us are serving people who are sick; some are serving folks who have been displaced because of the economic shifts related to the pandemic; others are just helping where people need help. The bottom line, though, is that people need help and the LORD God has placed YOU there to help. If your words and actions are not helping people and meeting their real needs during this time, then you are not serving the purposes of God. Jesus stated that "whoever is not against us is for us" (Mark 9:38-41). Meet people where they are and attend to their most urgent needs (see Matthew 13:21).

I have been shocked and dismayed that believers are acting like straight Pharisees and Sadducees these days. I'm talking about folks who are called by the name of Jesus the Christ! 'Shame, blame, put down, and crush people' seem to be the order of the day. But that is not the way. Not His way! And I don't care how much you'd like it to be, it is not. We all know who the accuser of the brethren is (Rev. 12:10). But we also know that we are victorious over the accuser by the Blood of the Lamb and through the word of our testimony, and by laying our lives down (Rev. 12:11). We are living in the times where we are actually fighting the spirit of the anti-christ. We have been watching the great falling away from God and some folks are in full apostasy. Again, this is about time and season.

I challenge you to revisit the Gospels and re-read them. All of them. Read for yourself what Yeshua HaMaschiach requires of us. And if you have not already done so, commit yourself to Him and to His work in the earth. He loves you and is waiting on you. He's already committed to you; He did that many years ago, when He offered Himself as the Passover Lamb, the perfect sacrifice, to take on your sins and to wipe your slate clean before Yehovah, our Father. His hand is extended--will you join hands with Him? Don't wait. Do it today. Tomorrow is not promised.

May the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and the sweet communion of the Holy Spirit, rest, rule, and abide in you today! May He bless and keep you in this week!