Why Are You Where You Are?

Esther 4:14 - Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"  NKJV

• King Ahasuerus' Bad Idea

If you like soap operas you will want to read the book of Esther. It only has 10 chapters and you could read it in less than an hour.
 
Before Esther becomes the queen, King Ahasuerus had one of the wildest parties you could ever imagine.
 
Esther 1:5 - the king made a feast lasting seven days for all the people who were present in Shushan the citadel, from great to small, in the court of the garden of the king's palace.
 
His party lasted for 7 days. Then he gets this bright idea while intoxicated to show off his wife's beauty. He orders her to get dressed up and parade herself in front of all his drunken buddies and she won't have any part of his foolishness.
 
There in is his bad idea. Parade your wife in front of all your drunken buddies.
 
What could possibly go wrong with that plan?
 
Esther 1:10-12 - when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded …to bring Queen Vashti before the king, wearing her royal crown, in order to show her beauty to the people and the officials, for she was beautiful to behold. 12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command. 

• King Ahasuerus' New Plan 

When Queen Vashti will not come and parade herself in front of the King's buddies he becomes infuriated.

He asks his wise men what he should do about her disobedience.

Their advice is to get rid of her.

You will replace her with a younger more beautiful model aka a beauty pageant winner and Vashti will never be allowed to see the king again.
 
Esther 1:19-20 - "…let a royal decree go out from him (the king), …that Vashti shall come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she.
 
So there you have the king's new plan.

He is basically giving her a divorce, she isn't going to be the queen any longer, she will never be able to see him again and the king is to find a new beauty queen to replace her.
 
AND the kings wise man had one other item of business that needed taken care of by the king and so in this decree he makes one more stipulation:
 
Esther 1:20 - "When the king's decree which he will make is proclaimed throughout all his empire (for it is great), all wives will honor their husbands, both great and small."
 
There you have it "all wives will honor their husbands". I ask you again, "What could possible go wrong with this plan." 

• In Comes Esther 

The king now puts into motion a plan to find the most beautiful women in his kingdom. They are going to have a beauty pageant and the one who wins will become the new queen.
 
I will give you the Reader's Digest version. Esther wins the competition and she becomes the new queen. Now Esther hasn't told anyone in the competition that she is Jewish. 

• The Villain 

As you know every great soap opera has to have a villain and in this one his name is Haman. He doesn't like Queen Esther's uncle Mordecai and has convinced the king to allow him to exterminate all of the Jewish people living in his kingdom.
 
He will even pay the king a tribute to allow him to kill them.
 
The king goes along with Haman's plan.
 
Mordecai goes to Queen Esther and tells her - "Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
 
Mordecai believes God has placed Esther in this position to save the Jewish people from this crazy plan of Haman's.

Queen Esther saves the day but you will have to read the book to see how she does it. 

• What About You? 

Have you given any thought as to why God has you where you are today? God knows everything about us. God doesn't waste time by putting us where we won't be affective.
 
So I challenge you to ask God what it is He wants you to accomplish for Him at this time in your life. It is true God wants to help you be productive while you are here.
 
We are always looking to fulfill God's purpose while we are alive.
 
We have probably all read some inspirational quotes so let me give you a few to think about as this Pump Up comes to a close.
 
Think About These:
 
God is not finished with me yet.
 
As long as I keep waking up it is evidence that God is not through with me.
 
Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word