For Such A Time As This.

When I first became Christian, there was a popular song sung in churches, about being born for such a time as this. It always stirred something in my soul . . . .almost 22 years later, I can't deny that God does everything on purpose and with purpose, including me....but I can also tell you that the way I thought things would look, whilst in His purpose, is seldom how they ever look.

In fact they often almost look so far from what you think the purpose is that you wonder if you took a wrong turn somewhere. This morning I was listening to a sermon on the radio. They were preaching on the book of Esther. [the scripture about being born for such a time as this, is from the book of Esther.]

The preacher was talking about the beginning of the story. How Esther was not in the ideal situation. She was not one of the up and coming, hopefuls that were in the King's social setting and stood a chance of becoming queen. She didn't make the guest list to the 6 month party the King threw. She was a captive, not living in her own land, enslaved [in a sense] by her enemy. She was an orphan....can you imagine the depth of the heartache she must have experienced in loosing her parents? She was a woman, in a time and culture where women were looked down upon.  None of that looks like a good start to becoming a queen or a woman of purpose. None of that looked like the perfect setting for someone who was going to save and change an entire people group/nation.

Then just when life was looking dim and dismal, she gets TAKEN into the King's palace to be raised up as part of his Harem....in this day and age we would be screaming for human rights to intervene because it is sex trafficking. think about it for a second....In this place she could have lost all hope, and assumed she might not get more than one night with the King - one night that wasn't her choice or idea to begin with....She probably doubted she could win his heart to become Queen....

But God.....

Somehow it all looked dim and dismal....it looked contrary to the purpose of God that was silently brewing in her heart.... it was not even a happy detour from the plan.... Yet somehow all the struggles, shaped her and made her....built her faith....taught her wisdom....brought wise counsel into her life....and forced the paths of destiny in a direction....and she didnt fight against it....she embraced it and walked her way into the throne room and the heart of the King.

Trust me, as one in a situation that doesn't look the way i imagined or wanted....and who has walked through many situations that didn't look the way i had hoped....even in the dark, confusing, contrary moments stay the course, keep on keeping on....walk on Purpose into His purpose.