THURSDAY 1ST WEEK
Juliana Lombardi C ‘16

You Are Where You Need to Be

“Then she prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel, saying: “My Lord, our King,
you alone are God. Help me, who am alone and have no help but you,
for I am taking my life in my hand” Esther 4C: 14-16

For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved Esther. Maybe that’s my inner desire to be a queen, but I’ve always found her story fascinating. As I’ve grown up, I’ve found new appreciation for her strength and reliance on God. Upon hearing that her people were threatened, this woman took her life into her own hands and visited her husband, the king, without being invited (an offense punishable by death). This prayer that she says before confronting her husband has always struck a chord with me. Esther knew she was about to commit a very dangerous act, but she was completely and utterly ready to do so in defense of her people. She trusted God to protect her and He did.

Now, I don’t know about you, but that’s a really difficult thing for me to do—trust God so fully that I’m willing to go into a ridiculously dangerous situation for Him. We get so used to relying on ourselves that self-surrender becomes difficult. It’s hard to let someone else take control, especially someone we can’t physically perceive. That’s the thing though; we can’t see God, but He’s more powerful than we could ever dream. He loves us. He will protect us. He’s our Daddy and dads have their children’s backs in tough situations. Trust Him. Look to Esther to find an example of that complete trust, especially in the hard times. God won’t let you down. You are where you need to be. Just take a deep breath. Let Him take care of it.

Do not look forward to the changes and chances of this life with fear. Rather, look to them with full confidence that, as they arise, God to whom you belong will in his love enable you to profit by them. He has guided you thus far in life. Do you but hold fast to His dear hand, and He will lead you safely through all trials. Whenever you cannot stand, He will carry you lovingly in his arms. –Saint Francis de Sales

EST C:12, 14-16, 23-15, Ps 138:1-3, 7c-8, Mt 7:7-12