Select a Ring of Truth daily devotion online
Ring of Truth provides 366 daily ‘proofs’ that the Bible is consistent throughout from Genesis to Revelation, and relevant for our lives today!
Select the date to display the devotion for:
Esther 4:14
“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?”
Destiny.
Xerxes was not only selfish, arrogant, and of loose morals, he was conceited, gullible and open to bribery. He also lacked the ability to discern character. He promoted a rich but wicked man within the kingdom. That man’s name was Haman. Haman was a dangerous schemer, a potential murderer, a malicious racist and an anti-Semitist. But the king knew nothing of this (or turned a ‘blind eye’).
Mordecai was not so thick. He saw through Haman’s duplicity and into his heart and discerned that it was wicked and treacherous. He refused to bow down to Haman or honour him, even though that was the king’s decree. Haman noticed this and because he sought position, power and glory, he became extremely rattled.
When he learnt that Mordecai was a Jew, he thought that rather than just killing Mordecai, he would exterminate the whole race. So in the fifth year of Esther’s term as queen, Haman went to the king and offered him 10,000 talents of silver to issue a decree that the Jews be annihilated on the 13th day of Adar - in a single day. The king and Haman sat down and drank to celebrate while the people were terrified.
Mordecai was not surprised and with a bit of thought realised that there might be a way out. Esther learnt of his action - walking around with ashes on his head - and decided to find out the reason for it. Mordecai told her to petition the king on behalf of the Jews. However, she knew that anyone who approached him uninvited could be killed. Indeed they would be, unless he held out his sceptre to them.
Mordecai then spoke the tremendous words of our verse for today. Did you notice Mordecai’s faith? For him, the rescue of the Jews was assured, but Esther had the choice as to whether or not she would become part of God’s plan. Mordecai was a man after my own heart. We know that when the enemy issues a deadline, God never fails to meet it. Not only that, He usually turns it into a great victory for Himself.
Esther, like Mary, the mother of Jesus, offered herself up to the will of God. She put her life and body on the line. She wisely involved Mordecai, too. “You (and the Jews) fast without food and water for 3 days with me, and at the end, I will approach the king. If I perish, I perish” (4:16). They knew that God had placed them there. They were not there by accident, nor for their own benefit, but for the glory and purposes of God. They saw the bigger picture and were prepared to become part of the answer, whatever the cost.
Tell me, do you want God to do everything miraculously or are you prepared to become part of His plan, part of His answer to your own prayers - even if it inconveniences you?
That situation you are in, that job, aren’t they part of God’s big picture?
Is there something you need to do?
Be like Esther - do it.
Who knows - maybe you have come into your position - for such a time as this.
And maybe you will be given the privilege of being part of God’s miraculous answer.
Download the above Ring of Truth devotion as a PDF.
Previous Day's Devotion | Next Day's Devotion
To subscribe to this daily devotion by email visit our Daily Email subscription page.
