Friday, October 5, 2012
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It is almost as if God had sent us an angel. We were coming back from a Christmas party years ago. All five members of the Hutchcraft family together with the families of the youth ministry I worked for had been there for the annual Christmas party.
Now, Joe, one of our dearest friends - our greatest helpers, helped us load up all of our equipment into the back of the car and we headed home. Well, we had only driven just a few miles when a drunk driver crossed the center line, plowed into our car and totaled it! Well, here we were sitting there dazed with the kids crying. I couldn't even see the car that had hit us! It had spun off behind me. I just sat there going, "What happened? What happened?"
Well it became an even longer night with police reports, x-rays, emergency room vigils, and trying to rearrange schedules for the next few days. As we sat there in this total confusion in our totaled car, I suddenly saw a familiar face at the window. There was Joe, our dear friend. He had decided (without telling us) that he would follow us to help us unload when we got home. There he was, right there when the accident happened; right there to bring us comfort and to bring us help all night long. On one of the toughest, longest nights we'd ever had, Joe was the angel we needed. He was just the right man at just the right place at just the right time. So are you.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Positioned to Make a Difference."
Now, our word for today from the Word of God comes from the book of Esther 4:14. Let me review for you the life of Esther up to the point where we'll begin reading. She was a young, Jewish maiden. She was approached to be the new queen of Persia. Nobody knew she was Jewish. Well, after all of the possibilities that could have become queen, she is selected to become the new Queen of Persia. And now we are at a point where an evil man named Haman was plotting and prodding the king to give a decree that will cause the deaths of all of the Jews.
Now, if Esther reveals herself and goes before the king, she may lose her life. But if she doesn't, it may cost the lives of her people. She's in a position to talk to the King Xerxes. And here's a statement from God's Word, "Who knows whether you have come into the kingdom for such a time as this." In other words, "Esther, it's no accident you are where you are. God put you here to be the right person at just the right place at just the right time."
You know, God is very good at this business of positioning people to make a difference. He's done it with you. You say, "Well, I just go to this school. I just play on that team. I just work at this office. I'm involved in this club. I just work at that plant. I just live in this neighborhood." Oh, come on! You know what? You are divinely, uniquely positioned by God. There is someone near you that God knows you can help with what you know; with who you are; with your biographical credentials. Maybe you're in a position where you can open a door for some ministry need.
There was such a man like that in a key position to dispose of the vans his company was getting rid of, and he saw our need in our ministry at just the point when we desperately needed them. He came into the job at just the right moment and provided those vans. See, just an example of divine positioning.
Above all else, God knows who around you needs to hear about your Jesus. He's divinely positioned you like He did Esther; to be in a spot where you can save lives because of the influence He's given you; because of the common experiences He's given you with the people there. They will listen to you, because you're one of them.
Wherever God has positioned you, you can be sure it is to accomplish His divine purposes. God has a mission for you where you are. Be the best you can be, so you'll have people's respect, and know that you're where God wants you to assist Him at this place, at this time.
Who knows? Maybe God has you there for such a time as this. So, use what He's given you to make a difference.