FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

Like Esther, we can trust that God has placed us where we are "for such a time as this," for His purposes. Our assignment is important too. We are surrounded by people God loves and wants to rescue. Sharing Jesus with family, at ourjob, with our neighbors, and in our community could lead them to accepting
God's love.

Jesus willingly gave His life so we could approach our King for eternal life. He asks us to share this new life with those around us. Today, let's boldly step out and make ourselves available to God just as Esther did. God surely can use us to free someone from despair as we share the hope of eternal life!

Although it's enjoyable to daydream about times past, the most important work we can do is today.

PRAYER:
Powerful and Wise God, You always know exactly what You are doing. Open my eyes today to see the rescue mission You want me to be a part of "for such a time as this." Empower me to be bold! Amen.

JEREMIAH 29:11

I’m a Christian. I want to be totally, unapologetically obedient to God. But
if I give God my entire life, I’m afraid he’ll do something extreme to prove a
point. He might take away my boyfriend to see which one I love more—”him or
Him”? Worse yet, what if something happens to my family because I said God
could “have it all”? My mom will get cancer. Or my best friend will be killed
in a car wreck. (You know, those things you never say around the donut table
in Sunday school, but they’re legitimate fears.)

I love God. And sometimes I’m this close to giving him everything. But in
order to prove my love for God, I feel like I have to do something drastic.
And I’m not ready for that yet.

—Kate

Let’s be honest—most of us are afraid of God. And we should be. He’s the
all-powerful King of the universe. In comparison, we are helplessly powerless.
But because we fear him, we hold back from him a few things we feel we can’t
live without, afraid that he’ll strip them from us. A relationship. A job. A
standard of living. Health. Dreams. It’s scary to know that God wants what’s
best for us—because it may come at a price.

God’s will is always tied to who he is. (Read that again.) The rumor that God
is a sadist in the sky, waiting for some unsuspecting woman to give her life
to him just so he can toy with her, is a twisted myth. That’s not how the
Bible describes God. It’s not his nature.

Instead of fearing him, if we believe he is a loving God, we will be convinced
all his plans for us will be full of love and for our good. If we trust the
Father, we will trust his plans for us … even if they take us through
difficult times, down roads we wouldn’t otherwise choose or even to the
“Africas” we fear the most. Life with God may not always be “safe,” as we’d
define it; but he will always, always be good to us. Our lives are in good
hands.

“The real issue in life is not the search for God’s will; it is the search for
God. The issue in faith is not knowing what God is doing, rather it is knowing
that God knows what he is doing. The issue of faith is seeking God’s presence,
not God’s plan for my life, because there is no plan outside of my knowing
him.”

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper
you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah
29:11

1 SAMUEL 16:1–13

During courtship, we can be charmed by someone’s good looks, attentiveness or
flattery. All of that can be fleeting. Over the course of a marriage, the real
person breaks through. Perhaps as your marriage ages, your spouse’s outward
appearance starts to change. Your spouse grays, loses hair or gains a little
weight. Perhaps the two of you fall into a rut, and the special treatment that
marked your dating period begins to wane. That’s when we need to remember what
the Lord said to Samuel about focusing on what’s in the heart rather than
what’s physically noticeable.

The success of a marriage comes, not in finding who we think initially is the
“perfect” person for us, but in our willingness to adjust to the real person
we married.

INSECURITY

Insecurity is a universal phenomenon that paralyzes some folks and sends others into a frantic scramble.  Insecurity basically means we feel uncertain. We can’t relax because we are fearful that something negative might happen to us, and we are unsure as to how to respond.

Today’s promise is perfect for all the insecure moments of life. It eases our fear and diminishes our apprehension by reminding us that the living God is always with us. Can we get more secure than that? The One with all power and the ultimate source of help assures His people of the strength and aid they need in every situation.

God’s Promise To Me

-  I am with you.
-  I am your God.
-  I will strengthen you.
-  I will help you and lift you up.

My Prayer to God

I do not have to be afraid, God, because You are with me. Thank You for Your strong presence that drives away my insecurity and doubt. Guide me through these uncertain times. Let me be victorious in You.

GOD WANTS TO BE ACTIVE IN YOUR LIFE.

Salt is a good symbol of God’s activity in a person’s life because it
penetrates, preserves, and aids in healing. God wants to be active in your
life. Let him become part of you, penetrating every aspect of your life,
preserving you from the evil all around, and healing you of your sins and
shortcomings. Let the salt you use each day remind you that because God is
active in you, you can live your life to preserve and purify the world around
you.

CHOOSE ME. SEND ME. USE ME.

Paul had to put his past behind him to accomplish what God had
called him to do in the present.

Likewise, when we put our painful pasts behind us and obey what God is
calling us to do in the present. we will experience a fruitful, fulfilling,
fascinating adulthood. He can take those miseries of the past and turn them
into ministries in the present. He can take our messes in life and turn them
into messages of hope. God took a frightened orphan girl and used her to
accomplish a great mission. He did it for Queen Esther. He wants to do it for
you.

LET'S PRAY:
Lord, I want to be like Esther. Not that I want to be a queen, but that I want
to be your servant for such a time as this. Help me to not dwell on what went
wrong in my past, but to look forward to what You want me to do right in my
present and my future. Choose me. Send me. Use me. In Jesus's Name, Amen.

EXODUS 29:44–46

God isn't some distant being watching his creation from afar. He chose to be in the midst of his people, so they could know him personally. He reminded Moses of his goal in freeing the Israelites and establishing them as a nation: “that I might dwell among them” (Exodus 29:26).

Today, God doesn't dwell in a building, a temple or a palace; he lives in the hearts of his people. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, he performed a mighty miracle of freeing us from sin so he could send to us his indwelling Holy Spirit. Wherever we roam, he is with us. Wherever believers gather, he is among us.