For Such A Time As This
Jack Critchfield

The Bible often shows us examples of great and even unsung characters that came upon the pages of history at a very providential moment. Joseph is a classic example of a man at a precise hour that performs a noble deed to preserve God's eternal purpose. He could have returned evil for evil, but instead he spared the children of Abraham so that the Savior, the "seed of Abraham" (Gal. 3:16) could come. Joseph states that goodness of Jehovah towered above the evil plans of jealous men in Gen. 45:5 and 50:20. Joseph was thankful for the privilege and opportunity granted him to be the servant of the Creator.

In the drama unfolded in the pages of the book of Esther, we find the famous words of Mordecai to the Queen who was his kinswoman, "who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14 NKJV). This marvelous statement should cause each of us to seriously ponder our own responsibility to take a stand for truth and purity in the midst of earthly dominion today and promise our Maker that He can depend on us! Many soldiers in the army of the Lord have forgotten the urgency of the battle against Satan and sin. When we nonchalantly view the enormity of evil and casually pursue holiness, we play into the hand of the devil and his capricious ways. When we underestimate the power of the devil, and overestimate our own spirituality, we fall into the serious trap set by the tempter!

Another mistake that aids and encourages Satan is to expect others to fight the battles for us. To forget individual responsibility could be compared to a center in football that fails to center the ball or a receiver who refuses to try and catch the ball. When we realize we may be the only one on a given occasion that can step forward in a difficult situation, and we do not, only harm can come to the cause we claim to espouse.

In famous legends, we read of a Dutch boy who stuck his finger in a hole in the dike to save a town, and of a hero such as Roger Young, who dived onto a hand grenade and died to save four Army buddies. We, too, can make application to saving lost souls from being forever in torment, as we follow in the steps of Jesus: "for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10 NKJV).

When it comes to helping a congregation survive a Diotrephes (3 John), or to the unpopular, but necessary task, of stopping the mouths of heretics and gainsayers who would subvert the truth (Titus 1:9-11), SOMEBODY must stand in the gap and repel error. In times like these, when brethren are departing from the faith and polluting the church with innovation and self-serving mandates, who knows but what you and I are in the kingdom to stand up and say, "That is far enough; we will not allow you to further hurt the cause of Christ!"

Brother, when the need for valor and loyalty in the church of the Lord arrives, will we be ready? Read 1 Pet. 3:15 and Psa. 31:24 and "be of good courage." We live in "such a time as this." So, let us be "set for the defense of the gospel" (Phil. 1:16).