Morning by Morning, May 4 - "For Such a Time as This"
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Lord and Savior, I want to lean in and listen for the leading of Your Spirit -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of the living God. ...
"Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14 NKJV)
Who knows what lies before us in the unfolding of time? God knows. Who knew all that would happen along the journey of our lives to get us to this place where we find ourselves strategically positioned for the purposes and glory of God at this time? God knew.
You are the God who sees the end from the beginning and the beginning from the end (Isaiah 46:10). You are the God who eternally declares, "My purpose shall stand, and I will fulfill My intention.... I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have planned, and I will do it" (Isaiah 46:10-11). "From everlasting to everlasting You are God" (Psalm 90:2).
So You take our steps of faith and also our missteps of sin, You take all the things we have done and all the things done to us -- whether good or evil, whether conceived in the heart of man in the heart of our Father, whether sent from the throne of heaven or from the pits of hell -- and You cause it all to "work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to (Your) purpose" (Romans 8:28). What our human flesh and our spiritual enemy may intend for evil, You will always turn it around and use it for good according to Your purposes in fulfillment of Your plans (Genesis 50:20).
You honor and bless our choices of obedience, and at the same time, You never waste a moment of our sufferings -- regardless of whether they are the consequences of our sinful choices or the consequences of choices made in rebellion against Your will in our broken and fallen world. But even the choices that broke Your heart will not have the last say if we entrust all things to You. You are our Redeemer (Job 19:25). And You love to turn our despair into hope, our ashes into beauty, our mourning into joy, and our heaviness into praise (Isaiah 61:3).
Yes, I believe. I believe I was conceived on this earth and born into Your Kingdom for such a time as this. I'm honored to be chosen and called to be alive at this time in the unfolding of history and Your plans for the ages. "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written: 'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.' But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit" (1 Corinthians 2:7-10).
The days were dark when You inspired Mordecai to speak to Esther to take a stand for Your people and Your purposes (Esther 4:13). And just as Mordecai spoke to Esther, Your Holy Spirit speaks to us in the places you've called us in the Kingdom of God to take our stand and to shine with Your Light in the midst of our darkness wherever You've strategically positioned us for such as time as this. "Arise, shine; for (our) Light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon (us). For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over (us), and His glory will be seen upon (us)" (Isaiah 60:1-2).
Like Esther and Mordecai, by the power of Your grace at work within me, I join those of my generation who choose to embrace our identity and destiny in You for such a time as this. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
I pray you will arise and shine in the place God has strategically positioned you in His kingdom for His purposes, causing all you've been through in your life to work together for good, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Friends, I'm excited to be sharing a message of hope and healing with Max Lucado Tonight at the First Wednesday Healing & Worship Service at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Crownridge campus on I-10. Our Rapha God Ministries team will be joining the Oak Hills Church prayer team to offer personal prayer ministry. Please come join us if you can at 7pm. All are welcome!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
Please share this word to encourage a friend!
