Mordecai as Immigrant:In Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away.(Esther 2:5-6)
Thru my reflection series on “Immigrants in the Bible” I’ve been using the phrase “for such as time as this” as the theme focus. Mordecai used this phrase in a very crucial urgent moment in the destiny of the Jews people who were living in Babylon. “Mordecai commanded them to answer Esther, Do not think within yourself that you shall escape in the king's house more than all the Jews. For if you are completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance shall arise to the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house shall be destroyed. And who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Mordecai posed the question to Queen Esther to consider her position of influence in the palace, noting that it was providential and that she now had the opportunity to use it for the benefit of her own people. This phrase has become a classic and is used on many occasions to address a particular time in the life of the people of God or to emphasize a precise moment in God’s timetable. The sovereign God is the one that calls and puts his people in particular places at specific times to carry out the mission of his kingdom “for such a time as this”.
Practical lessons from this reflection:
- God has called us to the ministry and placed us in our positions for such a time as this.
- We need to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the salvation and wellbeing of our people.
- This is a great time to be ambassadors of the kingdom of God to fulfill the mission of the church of “Making Christlike Disciples in the Nations” at such a time as this.
SNAPSHOT
| Ethnic Group | District | Churches | 2012Worship | 2012 Membership |
| Samoan | Alaska | 1 | 45 | 56 |
| Samoan | Anaheim | 3 | 205 | 404 |
| Samoan | Arizona | 1 | 23 | 20 |
| Samoan | Colorado | 1 | 35 | 31 |
| Samoan | Hawaii Pacific | 7 | 234 | 557 |
| Samoan | Northern California | 1 | 38 | 45 |
| Samoan | Sacramento | 3 | 119 | 244 |
| Samoan | Southern California | 3 | 164 | 70 |
| Samoan | Washington Pacific | 4 | 97 | 147 |
| Samoan Total | | 24 | 960 | 1,574 |
| Sudan | Maine | 1 | 37 | 29 |
| Sudan | Southern California | 1 | 4 | 8 |
| Sudan Total | | 2 | 41 | 37 |
| Vietnamese | Central Florida | 3 | 120 | 283 |
| Vietnamese | Chicago Central | 1 | 29 | 69 |
| Vietnamese Total | | 4 | 149 | 352 |
CALL FOR PRAYER
Rev. Taulima Oge, Samoan Ministries Facilitator and SRT Members
Samoan Pastors and Churches
Rev. Michael Gatkek, Sudanese Ministries Facilitator and SRT Members
Sudanese Pastors and Churches
Rev. Chieu Pham, Vietnamese Ministries Facilitator and SRT Members
Vietnamese Pastors and Churches
Rev. Pham asked specifically that we pray for the lost Vietnamese in the US and Canada and but also for the "believers" that are still in bondage to sin with pride, love of fame and power. Please pray that the Lord will give us grace to be able to do something helpful for His Glory.
| Multicultural Ministries vision is to encourage the development of strategy and initiative to reach the USA/Canada mission field through the visionary leadership of the ethnic facilitators, and their strategy committees. |
No comments:
Post a Comment