another place

I read something remarkable in the book of Esther that I must have overlooked before. I’ve read Esther’s story dozens of times, but this seemed new to me.

The setting: Mordecai has notified Esther, now queen, of Haman’s plot against the Jews, and he calls on her to interceded with the king. Esther reminds him that she could be killed for approaching the king without being called for. And then this, from Esther 4:12-13: “When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: ‘Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 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 your royal position for such a time as this?’”

Did you see it? “. . . relief and deliverance from the Jews will arise from another place . . . .”

God had a thing he needed to do. He called Esther to a special place, and equipped her with all the access and influence of the queen. But he didn’t really need her. If she decides not to play, God will deliver his people anyway – Mordecai knows this, because he lives close to God and knows the history of the Jews.

So why did God bother? If it wasn’t to help him, it must have been to help her. I’m reminded of Henry Blackaby’s statement that in all things, God is either working through his followers, or on them. Maybe both. Esther was called on by God to show faith, and to risk herself to speak for those with no voice.

I pull two things from this. First, the smaller lesson that one reason, maybe the main reason, God gives us power and influence is to speak for those who can’t. I once attended a conference where CNN reporter Soledad O’Brien said, “True leadership starts in the conversation - get the truth on the table, give a voice to everyone. Leadership is about taking a stance for justice for those whose voices are not heard.” That seems Godly to me, especially based on what I read in Esther.

The second, bigger, thing is that God will do as he wills, even if I don’t do as he asks. That’s immensely reassuring, not just because I can’t mess it up. Think of the implications of this truth.

God doesn’t need me – I can’t give him a thing he doesn’t already have, or do anything for him that will help him. That makes it all the more overwhelming that he wants me. Everything about our relationship is about his desire to help me. It’s the only truly pure kind of love?