Monday Memo 1445: Get Ready
In this week's entry in our 'Never Too Young for Purpose' series, we look at one more lesson from the life of Esther.
After Esther was made the queen, she soon discovered that there were some people who hated the Jews, but what they didn't know was that Esther herself was Jewish. These enemies lied to the king and tricked him into ordering that all the Jews were to be killed. When Esther's cousin Mordecai learned of this, he went to Esther to ask for her help. However, if Esther went before the king and he didn't welcome her, she herself would have been in danger. This is how her cousin advised her:
When Mordecai received Esther's message, he sent her this warning: “Don't imagine that you are safer than any other Jew just because you are in the royal palace. If you keep quiet at a time like this, help will come from heaven to the Jews, and they will be saved, but you will die and your father's family will come to an end. Yet who knows—maybe it was for a time like this that you were made queen!” (Esther 4:12-14).
Of course, we know that Esther did go in to see the king, he welcomed her, and she was able to devise a plan that saved her people and actually destroyed their enemies instead.
When you know your purpose and gifts, it's time to get busy preparing for your future. When you're preparing, you usually don't know what you're getting ready for, except that God is going to use you. You work to do what you can do while God works to position you where He wants you to be, which may take many years. Then when the time is right, He opens the door for you and you are ready to lead. The time to get ready isn't when the door of opportunity opens, but long before it opens. That means you're preparing for your future in faith by developing your gifts and understanding about yourself and your purpose as much as you can.
What do you need to do to prepare for your future? Do you need to take lessons from someone who will help you be a better singer, a better athlete, or a better actor? Do you need to read and learn more? Do you need to practice your skills to make your strengths even stronger or to improve your weaknesses? Do you need to have better spiritual disciplines so you can know the Lord better and be ready for difficult times and hard tasks?
The God of the future is with you now. He knows what you need to go through to be prepared for what He has in store for you. Work hard today even if you don't fully understand the reason you're preparing. Just like Esther, one day you'll realize that you were born "for such a time as this." When the time is right, you will be ready to play an important role in the plan God has for you, His people, and the world. Have a blessed week!