Pretentious title? Maybe. Many have used that phrase recently to sound an alarm. Why do I use it, then? Because I'm reading the book of Esther in the Bible, and even though I've read it many times and heard the phrase many times recently, it rings loudly still.
Why are you here? For what time were you put on the planet? I ask myself these questions almost daily. The world changes occurring now come only after my own titanic shifts in what was once a happily settled life. Or at least, happily on the surface. So I've experienced what everyone is going through in the country now on a personal level already. I asked myself more times than I can say, and hurled the question at God even recently, "Why am I here?!!"
Can it be, that from the wreckage of a personal life can come wisdom for the age of drastic change? Only God knows. God, who is above all things good. God, to whom I've entrusted my existence all my life, and who has never failed me. God, who holds the planets in balance and places the stars in the black night sky to light our darkness.
I've been nurturing a few summer flowers on my little balcony, outside my sliding door. They've brought me joy with their spots of color in the brown/grey world in my apartment view, looking on the parking lot as it does. Last week a raccoon climbed up and ravaged some of the pots. I have no idea what he could have been looking for in my pots, but dirst was pulled out all around the pots, as deep as the halfway mark or more. It feels like a rape, by a wild animal.
I think the country is feeling that way right now about our present political climate. At least 2/3 of us, anyway, according to the polls, if not more. We cry, "How long, oh Lord?!" over and over again in our prayers. We don't recognize the country our parents gave their life blood to save once upon a time, and taught us respect and love ourselves.
I found myself weeping after listening to the news on public radio - where has my country gone? It breaks my heart. Someone has climbed up to the heights of our beautiful pedestal in Washington and ravaged all that was good and loving and kind there, and it's spreading far and wide. What is going on in Heaven?? How can God allow it?? What is to be done by decent, everyday, citizens buried already under our own survival efforts??
Then I read in Esther, "...who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Can it be coincidence that these words fall upon my consciousness at just this moment by accident? No one has brought me to any "kingdom", that's for sure! Yet still, the words ring loudly, like a call to arms from the Liberty Bell itself.
But am I writing for the sake of political victory, political gain, or any political motive? No. My motivation is love and charity, compassion and empathy - the qualities modeled by Jesus and so disdained by people bearing His Name today in positions of power. Because I also bear that Name, and I seek to follow where He called me so very many years ago now. And everyone who has left home and family for the sake of Christ's calling feels the same. If not, it's not Christ's call they've heard and followed.
We feel embattled, alone in our houses watching and reading the news these days, or out in the public square, seeing and hearing enemies of our faith taking our Lord's name in vain, working for those things Jesus decried and died fighting against, working to down His Name and squash everyone different from themselves. We, who heard the call of God to "love your enemies, do good to those who hate you," etc., don't even recognize the ones in power using our beliefs as a tool to gain more power as brothers and sisters in the faith - their lives do not bear witness, as Jesus said, "you shall know them by their fruits." [Matthew 7]
For such a time as this were we trained to recognize Christ's fruit? For we see so clearly today what is good fruit and bad fruit in our public places, and "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven."
But far be it from me to assume God has made me His mouthpiece. Go read it for yourself and pray about what it might be saying to you. I am in no position to judge you. I only call out bad fruit I am seeing.
Soli Deo Gloria