Providentially Placed

By Pastor Dan Hickling

“When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.”—Esther 2:19 (NIV)

The Book of Esther is an incredible illustration of God’s providential control over all things. Although He isn’t directly referenced or identified, the Lord’s hidden hand is constantly moving to direct the course of all things. There’s a purposed will behind every detail written down for us, including the fact that Mordecai, Esther’s cousin, was sitting in the area of the king’s gate.

Now, on the surface, all of this seemed quite natural. It’s likely that Mordecai had some sort of official responsibility that isn’t recorded for us, which is why he would be sitting at the king’s gate for this gathering. But if we delve a little deeper, we see that a greater purpose, a supernatural agenda, had Mordecai specifically positioned at this exact place at this exact time. Watch what happens next!

“During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthanaand Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, became angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. But Mordecai found out about the plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai. ... All this was recorded in the book of the annals in the presence of the king.”—Esther 2:21–23 (NIV)

Because Mordecai was at the king’s gate, he was within earshot of an assassination plot against King Xerxes. We aren’t given all the details, but two trusted officials decided to turn on their king. As they conspired with one another, Mordecai became aware of their intentions. He quickly shared the threat with Esther who then reported it to her husband, the king. All to say, Mordecai’s role in saving the king’s life was recorded in the official court records—a detail that will be an important factor as the story of Esther unfolds.

For the time being; however, the crisis was averted, and all seemed well. But can you see how God’s hidden hand was at work through all of this? It wasn’t a coincidence that Mordecai was in a position to intercept this life-saving bit of intelligence. No, he was deliberately and divinely placed there. The Lord had His man right where he needed to be, right when he needed to be there—all in order for him to play his part in this earthly drama that was authored in heaven!

Here’s what we need to take from this episode in Esther: God puts His people precisely where they need to be. He has a specific purpose for each life that has surrendered to Him (Ephesians 2:10), and He is more than able to position their lives precisely where they need to be in order to fulfill His plan.

On the surface, His positioning may seem natural and unspectacular. You may be manning a kiosk, a toll booth, or a coffee bar. It might seem like you’re just doing what you do as you serve in sales, customer service, or human resources. But rest assured, if you’ve yielded your life to the Lord and are following Him one footstep of faith at a time, He’s leading you to the place where you’ll fulfill His agenda. It may not always be obvious, but just like Mordecai, it’s certain God has put you where you need to be.

Pause: What do we learn about God through Mordecai’s account here?

Practice: Consider a time when you’ve seen the Lord providentially place you where you needed to be to fulfill His purposes.

Pray: Lord, I confess I can only see a small fraction of Your plan. I tend to minimize and doubt that my life is really being used in a significant way. Help me to see and accept that You are moving and directing my life, placing me where I need to be in order to fulfill Your will and glorify You. Amen.