It was a difficult time in the history of the Jews. Mordecai refused to show reverence to Haman in spite of King Ahasuerus’ edict to do so. Haman despised the Jews and convinced the king to grant permission for him to rid his kingdom of the Jews, and his request was granted and sealed with the king’s own ring.
But in the background, there was a providential act of God whereby King Ahasuerus married Esther, making her his beloved queen, with unfettered influence upon and access to the king. She had just earned even more trust of the king by exposing information of two traitors in the king’s employ, with information provided by Mordecai.
This made her extremely loved and trusted by the king, which would put her in the right place at the right time in history to save the Jews, her own heritage, for she herself was an orphaned Jew during the captivity from Jerusalem.
It was Mordecai who reminded her, despite her trials and troubles through her past, she was the one, perhaps the only one at this time in history, who could be in a position to save her Jewish people from annihilation.
“For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer; Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:14–16).
Those words of Mordecai, paraphrased, “who knows if you have come to this place of prominence in the king’s family, for such a time as this.” No one else could influence the king to spare the Jews like his queen. But not knowing the outcome of her request, she was willing to lay her life down for her calling “If I perish, I perish.”
As I read the passage, I was reminded of the many men and women around the Source of Light world that God has put into place “for such a time as this.” God has brought the right people into place at the right time throughout our ministry, throughout our history, over and over again. Each time, I am amazed to hear of these stories, even though I shouldn’t be, but God continues to amaze me.
Pastor Zsolt of Erd Baptist Church in Erd, Hungary, sat at the crossroads for refugees of the conflict in Ukraine who needed temporary food and shelter. He had no way to prepare but acted when he was presented with a need. I recently had the opportunity to go see first-hand my old friend and partner in the ministry from the days my family served there. Zsolt and the church in Erd are just such an example of responding to the call when the opportunity came and how God used the meager resources of that small church combined with the resources God provided to SLM.
I experienced another example just a short time ago when I walked the streets of Centelles, Spain, where our missionaries, the Vecchiarellis, have started a new church plant. They asked me to visit the shopkeeper who was the first person they met there. As they had walked towards the store, the Lord impressed on Olga’s heart to walk into a specific clothing store and strike up a conversation. That conversation led to her being the point person for finding a place to meet, making introductions into the town and its leadership, and they pray that she will be the first convert. Things came together quickly for this ministry due to the “chance encounter” with this shopkeeper that our missionaries acted immediately on, “for such a time as this.”
This Reaper will be dedicated to telling the stories of similar opportunities seized, because the door was opened, the timing was right, and our missionaries responded to the call. In my 35 years of ministry, I have never seen more unintentional opportunities afforded to a ministry like I have seen at Source of Light. At times, I have to ask God, “Do I need to ‘bring in the reins’ on these opportunities?”
The ministry continues to burst at the seams of what our resources will allow us to accept, but we have to believe that the God who brings the opportunities will also provide the resources to provide for them. As you read these stories, please consider if God would have you help these ministry opportunities through the Global Outreach Fund, Paper Partners, or through the individual Branch project funds.
But more than funds, we need prayer! Pray through this Reaper, asking the Lord of the harvest to provide even more laborers who can assist us in Madison and throughout the globe. Pray for each of the individuals who will be mentioned in each story. They will be tried and persecuted, and even though they have adopted the same mindset as Esther, we pray that God would grant them safety and much fruit.
And finally, pray for the continued effectiveness of the SLM “Paper Missionaries.” whether in print or electronically, that end up in the hands of people around the globe, beyond the reach of our own missionaries, that open the doors and pave the way for future expansion of SLM and the Gospel.
It’s our hope and prayer that the stories contained in this edition of the Reaper will inspire you to participate with Source of Light International or someplace nearby in what God brings your way that you in particular are specially equipped to do, “for such a time as this.”
