Home > Online Magazine > Online Magazine: Edition 89 - Spring (Sep-Nov) 2026 > You Were Made for This Moment, by Max Lucado
Book Review
You Were Made for This Moment, by Max Lucado
This is another book by many people's favourite author.
Max's writing style is easy to read - interesting, delving into a well know story - and finding fresh gems.
Esther 4:14 NIV - For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.
This book goes through the story of Esther - chapter by chapter. In each chapter Max not only reviews the story of the Bible chapter, but he also relates it to today's issues - plus he also informs of deeper Bible history that impacts the story, he also asks that you think deeper into the times of Esther.
The book of Esther is one of the few books, that does not use the name of GOD in the entire book. But Max is adamant, that GOD is still there in the silence - whether we are looking at the book of Esther, or whether we are looking at our lives. GOD is always working - GOD is never absent.
Max presents the idea, that Mordecai and Esther were living in Persia incognito - they were not openly Jewish. He supports this idea with several references from the book of Esther. Max also highlights the age-old controversy between Mordecai and Haman. Mordecai was a descendant of the tribe of Benjamin, and a relative of King Saul. Haman, an Agagite, was a descendant of Agag. the King of the Amalekites. The Amalekites had been long time enemies of the Jews going back to the time of Moses. In the time of Saul GOD asked Saul to destroy all the Amalekites, Saul did not do as GOD asked. Had Saul obeyed GOD the story of Esther would not have happened.
Early in the story of Esther, Mordecai works in the court of the King - Esther has become the Queen. Life is good. Then Haman enters the story and there is a sudden turn of circumstances - and the future looks bleak. Max asks how many of us have experienced hard times, when the future looked very bleak. But Max assures us that our GOD is a GOD of reversals - throughout the Bible he highlights characters where bleak times were suddenly ended e.g. Joseph goes to sleep one night a prisoner, the next day he is the Prime Minister of Egypt. Max tells us that if we hold on to GOD, GOD is a GOD of reversals. The book of Esther tells of the Jewish people in turmoil, and stress when the edict of their destruction is announced - the book ends with them not only in celebration at their deliverance, but also the fact that Purim would be celebrated right down to our days, so their deliverance is never forgotten. Do we celebrate over deliverance from sin?
Mordecai's message to Esther, is a message to each of us - 'who knows if you have come to this position for such a time as this'. Where are you in life today - GOD has planted you there for a purpose. Are you standing up for GOD, are you being true to your relationship with GOD.
After having read each of the chapters tracing the story of Esther, Andrea Lucado, then provides thoughts for reflection. She provides chapter by chapter questions that can either be for personal reflection, or the book could be studied in a group - and the questions provided can be a starting point for group discussions.
Read this book and get a fresh look at the book of Esther.
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Home > Online Magazine > Online Magazine: Edition 89 - Spring (Sep-Nov) 2026 > You Were Made for This Moment, by Max Lucado
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