Esther’s Leap
“Hear ye, Hear ye!” The words of the king’s decree filled Mordecai’s ears. The king’s servants were looking for suitable young young women to go into the king’s house. Instantly he thought of the fair cousin he had taken in as a daughter. Something was driving him to take a leap and offer her to the king. Granted, they were there in captivity, but something urged him to step forward.
“You want me to do . . . what?” I can imagine that reaction flowing out of young Esther’s mouth when her older cousin told her what he wanted her to do. I can imagine her face, maybe mixed with a little horror as her cousin explained to her not to make known her kindred, and maybe mixed with a little fear as she realized the giant leap she was about to take. However, she respected Mordecai. He was her elder; he brought her up when her parents died; he had never failed her . . . so she leaped without complaint. She did not yet know how respecting that elder put into action a plan that God was ordaining already. Something as simple and ordinary as obedience made a change in this world. God had her save her people. All she did was take a leap of faith that day and she changed history.
When I look at the story of Esther, I can’t help but notice her character, the way she reacts to situations, and most importantly, how evidently God was orchestrating her life. One statement that sticks out to me most prominently in this book is “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” It is evident through her life that it was true! I can’t tell of how many times that thought has come back to me as I trudge through the day: who knows whether that day I was called to be something, to put into action a plan that God has already set in my life? That day was probably the same old, same old for Esther. All she did was go through another day, doing everything exactly the way she would have normally. Except, maybe instead of Mordecai asking her to go get a pitcher of water, he asked her to go to the king. They both took a leap of faith that day, but because of their faith and her obedience, it turned into something greater.
The people of God should have that same faith, and take the leaps that God might show them to take. We have to have that same kind of trust that Esther had in Mordecai, in God. Every day is preparing us for something much greater than we can even grasp. Maybe you are going through school, you have to teach another Sunday school lesson, or maybe you are going into work feeling as if you’re not accomplishing anything. It may feel like nothing is changing. You are just doing the “same old, same old” day to day. But by doing our routine, by grasping the simple character builders God is placing in our lives, will lead to that one day when it may seem “normal”, but in fact, it will be a foundation in our life to take that leap. Who knows whether that day we are called into the kingdom for such a time as this. Keep doing what you are doing, obeying God, the little things, and God will be able accomplish His plan in your life because you obeyed Him.
We always seem to want an explanation of why we should do a thing. Witness the student complaints in any math class: “when is this ever going to be useful?” But sometimes we are asked, like Esther, to go along with a plan we are totally unfamiliar with. There are no explanations because there is nothing to explain. The reason does not exist — yet.
Very encouraging and sound advice. God is orchestrating our life and our obedience is everything.