"Perhaps you were made queen for such a time as this." (Esther 4:14)

When I read these words, I am always amazed at their all inclusive truth. That in our daily lives, we can come face to face with an Esther moment, whether we recognize it or not. To me this verse says it all. The power we are given in our lives, the places that we live, the people that we know...they are all His. He has given them to us. Our very lives are from Him. When Esther is asked to risk her life by coming to the king in an attempt to save the Jews from being murdered, she initially is scared and she hesitates. But then, she does something strong and beautiful. She trusts in the Lord. She stands up and takes on the challenge. At first glance, Esther can seem like a pawn between the "men in charge," but in reality, she is an Ezer, someone who is offered to help in a great time of need. She is placed there by God to be used to save His people. She didn't choose this path for herself, God gave it to her; and while it didn't look like an honor at first, in the end, it certainly was. I try to remember this when I am put into circumstances that I don't exactly choose, or when I am faced with a challenge that feels too big for little me. "Perhaps you were made queen for such a time as this." Wow...