If you've been in Sunday School for awhile, you've probably heard the story of Esther. Esther is best remembered for becoming queen, then using her position to convince the king to save her people from their enemy. Whenever we talk about her, we typically talk about her bravery and courage, as well as her willingness to follow God's plan despite the fact it could get her killed

I have always loved the story of Esther, starting with the story Bible I read as a child and the VeggieTales movie. As I got older, I examined Esther's story closely and was surprised at the layers in her story. Today's post will deviate a little from the typical model; this post will be a bit more personal and I hope it will serve as an encouragement for everyone.

Let's remind ourselves of the story of Esther. The Persian king Ahasuerus  (also called Xerxes) was at the height of his reign and threw a few banquets, where he became intoxicated and sent for Queen Vashti in order to show her off to the rulers and officials that were also there. The queen told him no. The Bible doesn't tell us why she refused; scholars have a few theories. One is that she was pregnant and didn't want to appear in her condition. Others suggest that she was being modest. Whatever her reasoning was the king didn't care. He flew into a rage and asked his wise men what he should do according to the Persian law. The officials told him to banish Vashti for fear the other women in the land would hear of her deeds and start disobeying their own husbands. So that's what the king did.

But later on he regretted what he did and the wise men had to think up a new plan. So they suggested he arrange a beauty pageant and round up all the beautiful young virgins in the land and bring them to Susa (the capital city). That's how Esther enters the story. She was a Jew who lived in Susa with her cousin Mordecai. He took her to the harem when the command was issued and she underwent twelve months of beauty treatments. The king chose her to be queen and she concealed the fact she was a Jew, though Mordecai still kept tabs on her to make sure she was okay.

Fast forward several years. A man has arisen to power by the name of Haman the Agagite who hates the Jews, partially because their respective nations have been enemies for years. He was so important the king commanded that whenever he walked past, the king's servants should bow to him. Everyone obeyed this rule ... except Mordecai. Because of this, Haman concocted a plan to kill not only Mordecai but all the Jews in the empire and convinced the king that a certain group of people didn't comply with the king's laws and should be killed. The king agreed and Mordecai brought the news to Esther. After some back and forth she agreed to plea for her people's lives.

There was a problem though. The king had a rule that if anybody entered the throne room uninvited they should be killed unless he extended his scepter to them, then they could live. Esther hadn't been called for thirty days. But she risked her life and went before the king. He spared her and after she invited him and Haman to a couple of feasts (she knew the king well), she begged the king to save her people from Haman. The king had Haman hanged and allowed the Jews to defend themselves when the armies came to kill them. Because of the law the king couldn't cancel the law. In the end the Jews are saved and Esther puts Mordecai in Haman's position.

We might be tempted to think that Esther was lucky. She's picked to be queen after the old queen got kicked out, she lucked out in the throne room when she asked to speak to the king, then she gave Haman, the Jew's enemy, what he deserved. "It's easy for her to accomplish her purpose," we might say. After all, she was queen. She had a bunch of people fasting for her. Once she got over that little bump of risking her life, it was smooth sailing from there.

Right?

Maybe not.

Esther had more than her share of difficulties. She was married to a drunk, egotistical, promiscuous husband. She lived in a society where women were expected to lay low and obey the men. She couldn't even see her husband unless he asked for her. In short, when Esther's big moment came up, she was not set up for success. She was faced with a daunting task, little support, and a chunk of difficulties to overcome. When the time she was born for came, she had almost nothing to aid her. Nothing but God. When Mordecai pleaded with her to save the Jews, it was no wonder she protested.

And yet despite all this, she recognized that God had a purpose for her, even in the midst of her situation. She didn't let the circumstances defeat her. Instead, she worked around them and strove to fulfill God's call for her.

God has a plan for our lives and a specific purpose for each of us. He has called us to act in a special part in His kingdom.

But knowing all that and actually accomplishing it are two very different things. We may know what we're supposed to do, but we may not know how to do it, or don't have the courage to act. Everyone, including fellow Christians, may think we're crazy. The circumstances don't seem right. And life doesn't stop just because we have a calling to fulfill. In fact, it seems as if the minute we start trying to obey God and do His will that life just dumps more hard stuff on us. How in the world are we supposed to answer God's call in our life under the circumstances?

When we are called to fulfill our purpose or complete a task laid out for us, we might protest like Esther did when Mordecai asked for her to plead for her people. “What, me? I can't do that. I don't have the resources or abilities. Look at the circumstances I'm in, God. It's practically impossible.” Our purpose in life might not be saving a race of people. It may be raising a brood of godly children, running a women's Bible study, opening a business, supporting a friend through a tough time, or ministering to an ailing spouse. It could be volunteering at a charity, using one of our talents for God's kingdom, make a house a home, or just be the friend that is always ready to listen.

Our circumstances may try to stop us from accomplishing what God wants us to do. When Mordecai was trying to convince Esther to plead the case of the Jews, he said, “Perhaps you came to power for such a time as this.” Maybe that's what he would say to us today. Could it be we're in the position we're in so we can make a change at such a time as this? There's the potential in all of us to be an Esther. But in order to do this, we need to accept our purpose in life. Who knows? Maybe we are here for such a time as this.

“For consider your calling, brothers and sisters, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong.” 1 Corinthians 1:27, NASB. Often it's not the powerful, accomplished people God uses. Most of the time He calls the least equipped to change the world. The difference between the two groups is that one forces us to rely on our own strength. The other relies on what we can do with God.

We also have the choice Esther had: Accept our calling, or ere on the side of caution and back out.

The choice is easy to state, hard to make. Sometimes answering God's call is downright scary. Others, including fellow Christians, may think we're crazy and try to talk us out of it. When we choose to respond to the call and take up the cause, then we have the chance to change things like Esther.

We don't think we can do much. After all, we're just ordinary people. But so was Esther and look at what she accomplished. We can all accomplish the purpose God has set out for us.

"But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of God’s grace." Acts 20:24, NASB.