https://odb.org/2024/01/25/strange-places-2
It is amazing how Esther, an orphan adopted and raised as his own by her cousin, Mordecai, could be chosen to be a concubine and later crowned the Queen of Persia by the Persian King, Xerxes. Persia was the superpower nation then at that part of the world. Esther, together with her cousin, Mordecai, later discovered God’s purpose for them to be in Persia, and it was to thwart an evil plan by Haman to exterminate the Hebrew people.
Similarly, Joseph was sold to slavery by his jealous brothers and ended up in jail, but ultimately through his trials and tribulations, he became the Prime Minister of Egypt, mainly due to his God-given ability to interpret dreams that forsee the future and in the end, saved the Hebrew clan of Jacob, Isaac and Abraham from the then coming 7-year famine. Note that when it comes to His divine and sovereign will and purposes, God places His key people in positions of power in the then most powerful nations of the world.
Likewise, even modern-day Israel is backed by the US and the UK, the present day, and the previous years’ world superpowers, respectively. It was the UK that partitioned the creation of the state of Israel post-world war II, and currently, in the war with Hamas, the US has her warships covering Israel, and both the US and the UK are actually engaging Houthi targets in Yemen today.
Taken to a wider context and at our own personal level as a believer and disciple of Jesus Christ, there is also a reason why God placed us where we are today. The church we are serving in. The job we are doing. The people we interact with. Ask God why am I here at this specific place and particular period of time? Of course, we are in no position to save a nation of people like Esther and Mordecai or Joseph! But perhaps we are the chosen vessel for God to reach out to a particular person that we now know because of our work. It could be someone at our workplace or a supplier, a customer, or an advisor (lawyer, accountant, banker) that we have dealings with. Perhaps God wants to use us to touch their hearts for Him.
Open our eyes to God’s plans and purposes for our lives at where He has placed us. Pray for the guidance and boldness of the Holy Spirit to be upon us. Allow the LORD our God to use us to fulfil His plans and purposes for our lives.
Ronnie's Thoughts 