Two weeks ago, we started a purpose profile on Esther and her
cousin Mordecai. If you missed
reading the last two weeks, you may want to catch up on those here before you
continue on this week. Then once
you have read this, check out my information below concerning my upcoming tour
to the UK and Kenya. But for now,
let’s move on to Esther!
PURPOSE COMES LOOKING FOR YOU.
The first point I want to make this week is that Esther and
Mordecai didn’t have to look for their purpose; their purpose came looking for
them.
Then the king's personal attendants
proposed, "Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king.
Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all
these beautiful girls into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed
under the care of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and
let beauty treatments be given to them. Then let the girl who pleases the king
be queen instead of Vashti." This advice appealed to the king, and he followed
it (Esther 2:2-4).
They discovered Esther and chose her to be among those women, and they
eventually selected her to be the new queen. Two weeks ago we saw how Mordecai foiled a plot to
assassinate the king and was then sought out and rewarded for his work. Both didn’t go looking for purpose;
their purpose came looking for them.
THE
RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME
After
Esther was chosen to be the new queen, a crisis arose among her fellow
Jews. The king had an aide named
Haman, who hated the Jews with a passion.
He was able to convince the king (who was unaware that Esther was a Jew)
to issue an edict that all the Jews were to be exterminated throughout the
kingdom. What was Esther to
do? Her cousin Mordecai gave her
good advice, as usual:
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 royal position for such a time as this?"
(Esther 4:12-14 emphasis added).
The point here is that purpose puts you in the right place at
the right time. When you function
in your purpose, there is a sense that God is helping you accomplish what you
are doing, without effort or you having to make something happen. When someone needs directions, I just
happen to come along and for whatever reason they choose me out of the crowd to
ask where to go. I couldn’t plan
that if I wanted to. It is a small
way in which I know that God uses me to help others and it flows
naturally. It is part of my
purpose to create order out of chaos.
So ask yourself: When am I in “the flow?” When do I most seem to be in the right place at the right time? What need or needs do I always seem to be in a position to meet? Answers to those questions will most certainly help you clarify your purpose and will also help you have a good week with many more to follow! Take care.
Feel free to comment on this entry on the site where it is posted.
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1. UK AND KENYA SCHEDULE. I have finalized my schedule for the UK (September 20-28) and Kenya (September 28-October 4). If you would like to see where I am, you can check it out on my website under the News section. Everything I am doing is open to the public, so come one and come all to hear the purpose doctor while you have the chance!
Also, I have a special evening presentation in Nairobi on Wednesday, September 30. For more information, you can download the flier: Download IIE Kenya Seminar
2. THE SOPHIA FUND UPDATE: I am so delighted that I am taking about $3200 to Kenya with me to feed our orphans and widows. What a blessing! Thank you so much for your generous support. There is still time to give before I depart this Thursday. I am also taking 200 pens and pencils for the children and will be working toward establishing some children's libraries and reading rooms, which are nonexistent in Kenya.
You can read my latest report on The Sophia Fund here (written about four weeks ago). You can also read about my rationale for The Fund here (named after my late mother).
Now that the Revelation Project is complete, please consider a contribution of at least $5 toward the fund and hopefully more. You can use the "Chipin" widget on the Monday Memo site to contribute, or go directly to my website to contribute there through PayPal, or send a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 91099, Pittsburgh, PA 15221. Make sure you let me know it is for The Sophia Fund. Don't delay; give today and make a difference in the world.
3. DAILY PROVERB: I am now posting a short daily devotional focusing on one verse every day on my blog site. If you would like to read it or subscribe to receive it, just go to my site and register there. I promise to have it updated every day.
4. FACEBOOK: My goal is to have 1,000 Facebook friends on FB by 12/31. Right now I have 630. I update my status on Facebook (you can find me by searching my email, johnstanko@att.net) every morning to include a daily verse from Proverbs and an inspirational quote. I do the same on Twitter @johnstanko. Go there to sign up and follow along.
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