There was a time in my life when I prayed for weeks asking God’s permission to leave a position I had held many years. Then one day, while reading in the book of Esther, my eyes became glued to a portion of scripture in chapter 4. “who can say but that God has brought you into the palace for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).
“No Lord; I don’t want to be an Esther; please let me leave this position.”
But, then He began showing me other people in the Bible He had pre-positioned for a special purpose. In the midst of their designated position, they experienced discomfort, risk, ridicule, condemnation, and rejection. I raced to my computer and composed the following poem based on the Esther concept.
Who Can Say?
Esther, a Jewish slave, became the wife of a pagan king in the land,
discovered that Haman wanted all the Jews destroyed by the king’s command.
But, Esther had favor with the king and Haman’s plot went amiss,
“who can say but that God brought a slave girl into this position for such a time as this?”
Think of Rahab, who was called a harlot by name,
heard about God drying up the Red Sea and bringing the Egyptians to shame.
So, she hid the Israelite spies and every wall of Jericho fell without a miss,
“who can say but that God brought a harlot into this position for such a time as this?”
And then there is the donkey that stopped Balaam in his tracks,
from going the wrong way less the Israelites be cursed and attacked.
We might scoff at the thought of God using a donkey and say, “That idea I will dismiss,”
“who can say but that God brought a donkey into this position for such a time as this?”
What can we say about Jehaziel whose name was mentioned only once in the good book,
heard a word from God saying, “Stand still,” before the battle Jehosphahat undertook.
The enemy killed themselves as the Israelites sang praises to God with joyful bliss,
“who can say but that God brought a prophet into this position for such a time as this?”
Let’s never forget Mary, a young virgin in her day,
received a visit from an angel who had powerful words to say.
“You shall bring forth a son to save the world by shedding blood of His,”
indeed, a virgin was brought into this position for such a time as this!
But, wait, there were others involved in the nativity scene,
shepherds, wise men, angels, all around the stable they leaned.
Quite unnoticed was Anna who proclaimed the redemption message in their midst,
“who can say but that God brought an unknown woman into this position for such a time as this?”
Now, each of these people probably questioned their position from the start,
why, even Mary pondered these things in her heart.
No doubt they even found discomfort in doing what they had been pre-positioned to do,
for example the donkey: “I’m sure he didn’t like being kicked by Balaam, would you?”
But, the Bible shows how God uses slaves, harlots, prophets, virgins, and donkeys, too, in order to fulfill the purpose they were created to do. And so, if I should be pre-positioned by God in a position that I would rather dismiss, “who can say but that God brought me, an ordinary woman, into this position for such a time as this?”
Reflection
1. Have you ever felt you were in a position you were designated to be in, yet because of obstacles in your path, you wanted out?
2. How does Esther 4:14 apply to you and your purpose?
3. Think of ways you can overcome those obstacles and be a peace with your purpose?
Goal Setting & Sharing
List 3 goals that you would like to implement that will help you accept the position God has pre-positioned you in for His purpose.
“If you keep quiet at a time like this, God will deliver the Jews from some other source, but you and your relatives will die; what’s more, who can say but that God has brought you into the palace for just such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 TLB)
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