Are you Available????

"And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14 (NIV)
Just about everyone knows that process of applying for a new job. First, you fill out and return all important paperwork. Then you wait ever so patiently for a telephone call in which the purpose is to set up an interview with you. After you are interviewed, and the employer makes the decision whether or not they would like to add you to the team. One of the important factors that the employer considers, along with your interview, is you availability. Can you work nights and weekends? Can you work on holidays? Or, do you have ANY availability at all? Are you going to be able to focus when on the job; or are you going to be distracted? All of these are questions that potential employers must ask themselves about you when you interview for the job. The fact of the matter is that they have an end goal in mind, and if your qualities and availability will keep them from accomplishing what needs to be accomplished, you will not be hired for the job.


Esther was a young woman that definitely made herself available so that God could work through her. Esther was a Jew whose beauty had drawn that attention of King Xerxes. King Xerxes was ignorant of Esther's nationality, and that is the way Esther was instructed by her uncle Mordecai to keep it. One day Mordecai was outside of the King's gates and overheard two men plotting to kill the king. He communicated this disturbing news to Queen Esther who immediately told King Xerxes. After this, King Xerxes decided to promote Haman, one of his nobles, to the position of the highest noble. Outside of the king's gates, everyone knelt down to show honor to Haman, but Mordecai refused. Because it had been exposed that Mordecai was a Jew, Haman issued a decree stating that all Jews in Xerxes' kingdom would be killed. Haman continued on his quest to rid the kingdom of Jews because of his deep hated for Mordecai's rebellion. Queen Esther was the final factor in this story. She was the one who went before the king, having to expose herself and her nationality in order to save all of the Jewish people in the kingdom.


This irony in this story is that Esther lasted as long as she did living in the King's quarters before having to expose herself. By the time she had to expose her nationality, the King had so much favor for her, that it was not an issue to him.


Esther could have easily said no to Mordecai's plea to help the Jews. She could have said no because her exposing the truth about herself was a risk to her very own life. Had King Xerxes not favored her so, she would have surely been put to death. Esther was available for the task that God had placed in front of her, and she began to see her purpose for being in the King's quarters. You may be in a nice position right now for kingdom building purposes only. Esther's task was far from simple and clear. Esther probably did a lot of thinking and decision making throughout this process because every step was crucial to the survival of her people.


Can you imagine God giving you a task of that magnitude? Well, my friend, He has. Whatever task God is calling you to do, it is about kingdom building and saving lost souls. You can be a life saver. The methods and materials that we use to accomplish this task may not be similar, but we are all life savers. Our goal as Christians is to spread the word of God through our actions and words. Are you available for God’s work?


My pastor often says, "What God has for you it is for you." I agree with him, but I would like to add that we must be available for what God has for us. God will not impose or force His will or His way onto us. Imagine what He sees looking down from Heaven. He can choose anyone else that is ready, willing, and available to get His tasks accomplished. We must realize that it is a privilege to serve the Lord. We are an elite group of people. Many times, we act as if God's work is more of a burden than a blessing. (That is probably because we are working outside of our purpose, but that is for another day.)


When God has a task for us, He wants us to be available to focus on what He is going to put in front of us. If we are too burdened and bogged down or to tired and tore up by the pressures of life, God will take His task to the next person who is available and accepting of His task. And, not only will they get our assignment, but they will also get our blessing for accomplishing it!

Spiritual Reflections

1. Am I available for and accepting of ANY assignment that God will send my way? If not, what is blocking my servant attitude?
2. What is it that I am assigned to at this time in my life? Am I accomplishing what God wants me to?
3. If you don't know what your assignment is right now, pray and ask God what it is. Are you ready to accept it? If not, ask God what is blocking you and ask Him to help you remove it.

Esther's entire story can be found and read in the book of Esther.

My friends, we have kingdom building work to do. Won't you accept your assignment today?

You Don't Know My Story...

One thing that I love about the Bible is that there is never a dull moment that lies between its pages. It may sound like a cliché, but there are many treasures waiting to be unlocked. In my study today, I found the story of a young woman named Tamar. Tamar's story is not one that we learned about in Sunday School, nor is it one that we hear often being bellowed from the pulpit on Sunday mornings. Tamar's story is important, however, to each and every woman and man who has a story that has gone untold.



I'm sure many people wondered about Tamar. I'm sure they were asking questions. "What happened to her, she used to be so beautiful?" "Why does she not mingle with others?" In the last account that I studied of Tamar tonight, I had the ever so popular picture from children's movies where there is a lady in the neighborhood that all the kids are afraid of because of all the myths and legends that they have been told about her, only to discover by a chance encounter that those things are not true at all. Here is the meat Tamar's story.

2 Samuel 13:7-20
David sent word to Tamar at the palace: "Go to the house of your brother Amnon and prepare some food for him." So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon, who was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, made the bread in his sight and baked it. Then she took the pan and served him the bread, but he refused to eat. "Send everyone out of here," Amnon said. So everyone left him. Then Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the food here into my bedroom so I may eat from your hand." And Tamar took the bread she had prepared and brought it to her brother Amnon in his bedroom. But when she took it to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, "Come to bed with me, my sister." "Don't, my brother!" she said to him. "Don't force me. Such things should not be done in Israel! Don't do this wicked thing. What about me? Where could I get rid of my disgrace? And what about you? You would be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. Please speak to the king; he will not keep me from being married to you." But he refused to listen to her, and since he was stronger than she, he raped her. Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred. In fact, he hated her more than he had loved her. Amnon said to her "Get up and get out!" "No!" she said to him. "Sending me away would be a greater wrong than what you have already done to me." But he refused to listen to her. He called his personal servant and said, "Get this woman out of here and bolt the door after her. She was wearing a richly ornamented robe, for this was the kind of garment the virgin daughters of the king wore. Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the ornamented robe she was wearing. She put her hand on her head and went away, weeping aloud as she went. Her brother Absalom said to her, "Has that Amnon, you brother, been with you? Be quiet now, my sister, he is your brother. Don't take this thing to heart." And Tamar lived in her brother Absalom's house, a desolate woman.


Can you envision Tamar standing before you, broken into a million pieces? Her body, heart, and spirit were probably throbbing in pain all because of the selfish desires of a family member. You see, Amnon desired to have Tamar so, that he became frustrated and ill. (verse 2) Tamar was a beautiful virgin with the intent to stay that way until she would be married off. Her intent was to keep her purity and to be ready for her future husband. She ended up in a situation that she had little to no control over.


In Biblical times, a woman would remain desolate, not married off, if she was "used". What this means is that she was no longer a virgin. So, there Tamar sat for years, alone and bewildered because she not only had been used, but also was unable to tell her story because she was embarrassed and knew she would be isolated. In turn, she decided to desolate herself from society, in hopes of saving herself from more shame and hurt. And, she felt as though even those that should love her and understand her story the most, didn't.


There are many Tamars walking around today. Many people's souls have been broken, battered, and abused and have been left with the bewilderment of what happened to them. Not all have been raped like Tamar was, but I'm sure they have been left with scares where they have attempted to patch up their hurting souls.


I am a Tamar.


Just like Tamar, we all have a story that other people just simply don't know about. These stories have brought us closer to Christ because they are the situations and circumstances that we have strived so hard for so long to overcome. These are the scars that God keeps hidden so that when people look at us, we don't look like what we've been through! Some of us may live more boldly than Tamar did and choose to tell our story one day. Some of us won't. So, before we judge a person's decisions or actions, let us remember that each of us has a story that someone else doesn't know. That story has been a chapter in our life that God has used to shape and mold us into who we are today, and who He wants us to be tomorrow. When you look at what a person may have, or does not have; who they are or who they aren't; please remember... YOU DON'T KNOW THEIR STORY.....

                                                              Spiritual Reflections


1. What are some things about my story that others may not know?

2. How have I dealt with the issues listed above?

3. How can I see God’s presence in my unknown story?

4. What role will these issues play in my future spiritual growth?

5. Talk to God about your unknown story. Praise Him or ask questions. If you have unresolved issues, ask God to help you with them. He is available for you!