Read Esther 4

Here in chapter 4 we reach the heart of the story. The Jewish people stand on the brink of destruction and something must be done to save them. Mordecai immediately recognizes the importance of Esther's position. Mordecai knew that Esther could be used by God to save them but he also recognized that God would be the one who would do the saving. He said that even if she didn't help that deliverance would come from somewhere else. Sometimes we can get to a place in leadership where we feel like we're the only person who can do our job. Sometimes we even put pressure on ourselves thinking, "If I don't do this, nobody will." It's important to remember that when it comes to the plans of God we aren't important. That might rub you the wrong way, but what I mean is that we have to remember that God doesn't need us in order to accomplish his will. He wants to use us and it is our honor to be used by him, but we must always remember that he is the one doing the work. If Esther didn't make herself the instrument of God's work then he would have simply picked someone else to use for his purposes. God has chosen all of us to work for him and it's up to us to decide whether or not we will surrender to him. Ultimately Esther decided that she valued God's plans more than her own life. "If I perish, I perish." How much are you willing to give in order to accomplish the work God has asked us to do? God given us a very similar mission. There are people who are going to die and spend eternity apart from God unless we go and fulfill his mission for us. We are called to stand in the gap and preach the gospel sharing the truth about Jesus Christ no matter the cost. Will you give it all? Are you willing to die so that others might live? Jesus gave his life for us. Our response should be to give our lives for his service. This year we will get to encounter a lot of people who are lost and we have the message that they need to hear. Perhaps you have been placed here for such a time as this!