Esther was queen of an empire that spanned 127 provinces from India to Cush. Her queenship brought about a phenomenal change that saved the Jewish nation from Haman’s evil scheme. God had a plan to keep and nurture Israel until He was ready to liberate them from a foreign rule. However, Israel would have been annihilated before they were ready to be liberated. Esther was God’s servant used to stop that from happening.
But this is familiar story.
Truth be told, Esther’s queenship, as Mordecai remarked, couldn’t have been the only way for God to save Israel. Esther was simply chosen by God to accomplish this task. If God wanted, as Mordecai had said, God could have raised help from somewhere else to save the Jewish nation.
Yet, God chose Esther.
A young woman with no parents and raised by a poor, older cousin, among the subjects of the king of Persia, Esther was nobody. God didn’t just choose Esther, He elevated her to a place of honor in an empire where the Jews were probably one of the least and most insignificant people—so insignificant that Haman had to first describe them to the king before making his case to destroy them (perhaps, this insignificance is the reason Mordecai forbade Esther from mentioning her nationality and family background—probably reasoning that it might hurt her chances of becoming queen).
One would wonder what went through Esther’s mind as she was selected and taken to the palace. I’m not fit or ready to be queen, she might have thought. The possibility of such a reality may have seemed preposterous—too preposterous to even dare to dream.
But this is what God does.
He takes the weak of the world and makes them the strong and courageous. He takes what the world calls foolish, prepares, and then declares them wise. He makes the virtually impossible, possible. To God, it doesn’t matter where you come from. Isn’t this why Jesus chose to come from Nazareth and Galilee—a place where the Pharisees insisted that a prophet could never come from (John 7:50-52), and the same place that one of Jesus’ disciple, Nathaniel (whom Jesus called a righteous man), had questioned if anything good could come from there (John 1:45-46)? Like in Esther’s case, Jesus proved one more time that we are all God’s children, and God can pick anyone from any nation and people (no matter how detested) and raise them up.
“From one man He [God] made every nation of men that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the EXACT places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we move, we live and have our being…we are His offspring” (Acts 17:26-28).
Do you believe you’ve been called by God to achieve something that seems too good or too big for the likes of you (or what the world and its elites believe is too good or too great for the likes of you)? Have you questioned why God even bothers with you? Have you even gone ahead to express your fears to God, and like Moses, told God that you’re too small or incapable of doing what He’s asking of you? Even after God has expressly told you that His favor is the reason He’s blessing you this way, do you find yourself suddenly struggling to live up to this favor and discover yourself failing? Do you, after such failure, lose hope of becoming all that God has called you to be?
Is this you?
You’re not alone. It happened to Moses, Gideon…and a couple of other folks whose stories are in the Bible. And it’s still happening today. I’ve got good news for you! Like Esther, you’re not alone! God knew who you were before He called you, even before you were born (Jeremiah 1:5). He has a plan to prepare you for whatever it is He’s called you to do. For Esther, it took a year of training in the king’s palace before she was allowed in the king’s presence. For you, God might pass you through a series of discipline and fire to get you ready and mature (Hebrews 12:1-13). Might not be easy, and some days you’ll wonder if you heard God right and question if His favor is truly upon you. You may appear so reduced and in many instances, feel so depleted. You may even raise your fist at God and demand why He’s put you through the wringer.
But this is because He’s preparing you. You, truly, are not alone in this.
Remember these things:
- You’re not chosen because you’re special. You’re special because you’re chosen. To assume otherwise is to be arrogant and prideful. Nothing about you—your heritage, country, talent etc.—makes you special. Only God’s favor does.
- Stop worrying about what you cannot do and control. Do what is right in front of you, and trust God to do His part. It is His plan and not yours. He has already prepared the path that will lead to every event, which will in turn lead up to where He’s taking you. Do not try to rush or manipulate your way through to “fulfilling” God’s promise. Remember how badly that worked out for Abraham.
- Stop worrying about how you should change and “fit” into the said role, especially in the manner that the world requires it. You can’t change yourself. ONLY God can reveal to you, convict you, and change you. He is your Father and has already prepared your discipline. You only need to be a willing party and play your part, working out your salvation as God teaches and requires you to.
- Do not despise the days of [humility and of] little beginning. These are also the days of discipline, and of learning to abide in God’s rest and strength. These lessons will preserve you in your journey.
If you can remember these things and rest in God’s peace, then you’ll get to your place set and ready in God to fulfill what He’s called you to. By His strength you can do all things (Philippians 3:14).
About the Editor
Miranda A. Uyeh is the founder and editor of To Be A Person (TBAP), the author of Christian Romance/Suspense fiction, To Die Once: Child of Grace #1, a Mogul Global Ambassador, and a copywriter. She was a one-time shortlisted judge for the Inspy Awards in 2014 in the Contemporary Romance & Romance/Suspense Category. In 2016, Miranda was honored to be one of 500 book reviewers across the world invited to help launch Tim Tebow’s book, Shaken.
When Miranda isn’t reviewing books/entertainment or hosting interviews on TBAP, she’s writing, reading for fun or relaxing with a good movie! When she gets bored with the world, she talks to God about it! To learn more about her book, To Die Once, and her journey as an author, you can follow her author website. You can also connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Google+.
**The article, I Am Esther, first appeared on To Be A Person (TBAP). It is part of the I Am series on the TBAP blog.