「不是为现今的机会么？」
以斯帖记四章1至17节
1末底改知道所做的这一切事，就撕裂衣服，穿麻衣，蒙灰尘，在城中行走，痛哭哀号。
2到了朝门前停住脚步，因为穿麻衣的不可进朝门。
3王的谕旨所到的各省各处，犹大人大大悲哀，禁食哭泣哀号，穿麻衣躺在灰中的甚多。
4王后以斯帖的宫女和太监来把这事告诉以斯帖，她甚是忧愁，就送衣服给末底改穿，要他脱下麻衣，他却不受。
5以斯帖就把王所派伺候她的一个太监，名叫哈他革召来，吩咐他去见末底改，要知道这是甚么事，是甚么缘故。
6于是，哈他革出到朝门前的宽阔处见末底改。
7末底改将自己所遇的事，并哈曼为灭绝犹大人，应许捐入王库的银数，都告诉了他。
8又将所抄写传遍书珊城要灭绝犹大人的旨意交给哈他革，要给以斯帖看，又要给她说明，并嘱咐她进去见王，为本族的人在王面前恳切祈求。
9哈他革回来，将末底改的话告诉以斯帖。
10以斯帖就吩咐哈他革去见末底改说：“
11王的一切臣仆和各省的人民，都知道有一个定例：若不蒙召，擅入内院见王的，无论男女必被治死；除非王向他伸出金杖，不得存活。现在我没有蒙召进去见王已经三十日了。”
12人就把以斯帖这话告诉末底改。
13末底改托人回复以斯帖说：“你莫想在王宫里强过一切犹大人，得免这祸。
14此时你若闭口不言，犹大人必从别处得解脱、蒙拯救；你和你父家必至灭亡。焉知你得了王后的位分，不是为现今的机会吗？”
15以斯帖就吩咐人回报末底改说：
16“你当去招聚书珊城所有的犹大人，为我禁食三昼三夜，不吃不喝；我和我的宫女也要这样禁食。然后我违例进去见王，我若死就死吧！”
17于是，末底改照以斯帖一切所吩咐的去行。
信息分享
但以斯帖反问他说：「我能做甚么啊？依据法令，除非得到王的召见，否则任何人擅自见王，必立即处死。」末底改的回答充分显示了他的信心和智慧。他的话包含了两个超越时间的原则，用我们现代的话来讲，就是：「妳如果闭口不言，神必兴起另一个人来拯救祂的百姓。祂必有方法去成就祂的旨意。然而，焉知妳得了王后的位份，不是为了现在么？妳必须现在行动，相信是神放妳在这个位份上。」
以斯帖的回应也非常发人深省。「首先必须要做的，是神的百姓同心祷告，他们必须迫切并明示他们的迫切。我和我的宫女也要这样行三天，然后就算是违背法律，我也要去见王。我若死便死吧！」
末底改接受她的建议，招聚神的百姓切切祷告，神便应允他们。这次事件给我们很大的启迪。当我们遇到看似无法应对的处境时，常常是自己计划和谋算，却忘记可做的最重要的事，是自己切切向神祷告，并邀请其他信徒与我们一起祷告。
我们若花更多时间祷告，少些时间空谈，便能很好地开路让神工作并成就祂完美的旨意。焉知神已把我们放在某个位置，在特定的时刻成为祂手中的器皿。
“SUCH A TIME AS THIS”
Esther 4:1-17
1 When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry.
2 He went as far as the front of the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth.
3 And in every province where the king’s command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
4 So Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them.
5 Then Esther called Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend her, and she gave him a command concerning Mordecai, to learn what and why this was.
6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square that was in front of the king’s gate.
7 And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries to destroy the Jews.
8 He also gave him a copy of the written decree for their destruction, which was given at Shushan, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her, and that he might command her to go in to the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people.
9 So Hathach returned and told Esther the words of Mordecai.
10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a command for Mordecai:
11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days.”
12 So they told Mordecai Esther’s words.
13 And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews.
14 For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai:
16 “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!”
17 So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him.
Message
But Esther said, “What can I do? I cannot approach the king unless he sends for me. The rule is that anyone doing that is instantly put to death.” Mordecai’s reply revealed so much of the faith and wisdom of this remarkable man. He made a statement which contained two timeless principles. In our words he said, “If you remain silent, God will raise up someone else to deliver His people. He can always find a way so that His will is carried out. And in any case, who knows? You may be the one God has put into a position to do what no one else can do. You must act now, believing God has placed you there.”
Esther’s reply was also remarkable. “The first thing which must happen is for God’s people to pray. They must be in earnest about it and show that they are. My maids and I will do the same for three days. Then I will go to the king, even if it is against the law. If it means I die in doing this, so be it.”
Mordecai accepted what Esther suggested and gathered together God’s people for earnest prayer, and God answered. What a lesson for us! When we are faced with what seems an impossible situation, too often we plan and scheme. We forget that the most important action we could take would be to pray earnestly ourselves and ask some of God’s people to join us in doing so.
If we spend more time praying and less time talking, it could be well that the way would be open for God to work and to carry out His perfect will. Who knows? We may be the ones God has put in position to be the instrument in His hand at that particular moment.