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For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?
Esther 4:14 (ESV)

We are rapidly approaching another holiday –the Fourth of July.

I have so many fond memories of the Fourth of July. Being with family, having cookouts and picnics, swimming and fireworks. And of course, the monumental year we went camping in Estes Park the first week of July.

We were living in Omaha, Nebraska at the time. With great anticipation, we loaded up the car and headed out for a peaceful weekend in the mountains with our extended family and friends. Ten hours later, we arrived at our perfect campsite and began setting up in our new home. It was a beautiful day, sunny and warm with a gentle breeze. Out came the tent and the stakes and all of the camping gear. It wasn’t long before we noticed the gentle breeze getting stronger and stronger. Just about a half-hour after we got the tent up we heard, snap – snap – Snap, the lovely sound of the tent poles snapping in half.

We were ten hours from home, on a holiday weekend in a National Park, with no place to sleep.

My husband and I had to travel almost an hour down the mountain to find a store and buy a new tent. Then we had to travel another hour back up the mountain, to put up the new tent. As we continually fought the wind, we noticed it was also getting cooler. That day ended up being the most dramatic weather change in the area in over one hundred years. The wind gusts were incredible, the temperature dropped about sixty degrees and we spent the night in the van scraping the ice off the inside of the windows. By the time morning finally arrived, we were surrounded by several inches of snow. Although the new tent survived, it has never been used again.

Our family loves to tell the story of our adventure and we chuckle about that trip to this day. The lesson we learned: Oh, how rapidly things can change.

Often in life, we can find that the seasons can change just as rapidly. I think that is one of the reasons I love the story of Esther so much. Particularly the often-quoted line “for such a time as this.” In the midst of chaos and turmoil, even loss, I am reminded that just like Esther, “I may have come to a royal position for such a time as this.” Every day I live with the hope and the understanding that I have come to a royal position. I belong to Him. Because of Christ I am holy and set apart. Christ died on the cross for me. I have been bought for a price.

Immersed in His truth, there is no doubt in my mind that there is a purpose for me.

So in all seasons, but especially whenever things change dramatically, I frequently ask myself the same words we find in Esther. “Have I come to my royal position for such a time as this?” The story of how God worked in her life always encourages me to take the next step, to move forward in faith.

Life has brought so much change since the death of my husband. There isn’t a day I don’t miss his sweet presence in my life. But I am grateful for all God has done and continues to do in my life. In the deepest part of my grief, I repeatedly cried out for God to provide every blessing possible through this situation. And He has been so faithful! My greatest blessing is to share with you – He is faithful!

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your grace and Your mercy. We thank You for the sacrifice of Your Son on the cross so that by believing in Him, we could become Your children, holy and set apart. Thank You Father for the gift of Your Word that we may know You. Help us to be obedient to Your will in all circumstances so that we may fulfill Your purposes for Your Glory. In Your Son’s Holy and Precious Name. Amen.