When the heart moves out to others by the power of the Holy Spirit, heaven touches earth.
by Marti & John Fischer
I wanna live in the world not inside my head – Jackson Browne
You and I know the Scriptures. Some of us have traced Greek roots, unpacked Hebrew idioms, and written footnotes that would make a seminary professor proud. Yet, our scholarship often remains on the page, and our faith lingers in the pews. Meanwhile, lives around us wait for the healing, hope, and love that only God can provide through ordinary people like you and me who are willing to obey.
Why do we hesitate to put our faith into action toward those around us? Not because we doubt God’s power, but because our heads—so full of biblical truth and wedded to caution and analysis—whisper every reason to hold back.
Our brains are survival machines. They scan for risks, spot potential failures, and demand preparation. Every opportunity to serve becomes a list of potential pitfalls as in a few of these limiting beliefs:
“I’m Not Qualified”
- Response: God equips those He calls. Consider Moses (Exodus 4:10-12) or the disciples (Matthew 10:20)—their strength came from God, not themselves.
“My Actions Won’t Matter”
- Response: Every act of obedience matters in God’s plan. The boy’s five loaves and two fish fed thousands (John 6:9-13). Small actions, empowered by God, have big impacts.
“I Don’t Know What to Do”
- Response: The Holy Spirit guides and empowers. Remember John 14:26: “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things.”
This is not a strategy. Without the Word, it’s stalling. The head’s demand for total safety and perfect timing robs the heart of its most incredible gift: vulnerability.
Scripture locates faith not in the mind, but in the heart—the seat of courage, compassion, and conviction.
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
– Psalm 119:11
To hide God’s Word in our hearts is to let it pulse through our veins, compelling us to act. The heart doesn’t calculate risks; it feels God’s heartbeat for people. It says, “Here I am, send me” (Isaiah 6:8), and then steps forward. Consider the simplest scenario: you’re in line for coffee and notice your barista’s weary eyes. Your head says, “Keep your theology for the Bible Study,” but your heart whispers, “Ask her name. Pray for her.” In that brief exchange, you become the hands and feet of God.
Or imagine a colleague drowning under deadlines. The head debates the limits of your emotional bandwidth; the heart leans in with a listening ear and a timely word of encouragement—an act that could redirect a weary soul back to hope.
These moments aren’t side notes; they are the very framework of the kingdom of God breaking into everyday life—for such a time as this.
Esther faced genocide; you face coffee lines and office hallways. Yet the dynamic is the same: God commissions ordinary people to embody extraordinary grace at ordinary moments.
Our scholarship is valuable, but needs to be put into action when guided by heartfelt vulnerability. When our minds support our hearts, we learn that faith isn’t a thesis to defend but a life to embrace.
So let the next pause in your day be the threshold of God’s invitation. Ask, “Is this my ‘such a time as this’?” Then let your heart—bold, compassionate, and empowered by the Spirit—respond by stepping into action.
Because when the heart moves out to others by the power of the Holy Spirit, heaven touches earth.
Friday we published Marti’s excellent study guide to Esther 4:14, “for such a time as this.” We much appreciated those of you sent in your answers. It was so enlightening to see your comments, so much so that we decided to encourage more of the same this week. I am going to take on the questions myself and encourage you to join me in participating. Let’s make this a week of activity. Not just reading or thinking but acting and then reporting on it. You may write me privately in reply to this email or make your comments public by using the comment button below. So here we go…
For Such a Time as This
A Study Guide for Christians Called to Live Awake in the World
Session 1: Positioned on Purpose
Scripture
Esther 4:1–14, Acts 17:26–27, Ephesians 2:10
Key Idea
God has positioned you—your job, neighborhood, relationships, personality—for a reason. None of it is accidental.
Reflection Questions
- Where do you sense God has placed you ‘on purpose’?
[Journal your response here…]
- How might your story, your past pain, or even your doubts be part of the calling?
[Journal your response here…]
- What would change if you believed you were meant for this exact moment in time?
[Journal your response here…]
Prayer Focus
Invite God to awaken you to the opportunities you’ve overlooked.
Action Step
Write down five people or spaces where you feel called to show up more intentionally this week.
John Fischer The Catch 
SUCH A TIME AS THIS……..
When Marti first wrote this, my first thought was, “But what can i do?” So I prayed that prayer….What can I do?. The following is what happened.
The church I attend in Edmonton , Alberta, has an evangelistic goal for 4 0r 5 years now….’We desire to reach greater Edmonton for Jesus Christ’. We have had some encouraging events at Easter. Both of the last two Easters 150+ people were baptized, The Alpha program is going strong. There seems to be more coming. The population of Edmonton, the suburbs and bedroom communities is 1,500,000 million people.
Monday night at prayer group my friend Charles invited me to come to the Wednesday Seniors luncheon. I declined. I said I do not want to engage in old people talk about the past, present day personal ailments and gripe about politics. He informed me that is not what happens. He convinced me and I decided to attend. (I am 80 years old)
Before bed I prayed , What can I do.? If this is, ‘Such a time as this’ show me what you have in mind.
I woke up 3:30 am with a EUREKA MOMENT. You know the kind you keep a pencil and paper on the night stand for. The following I wrote before i had a senior moment.
No senior moment fortunately. I was to run this by the seniors leadership and I did. We have agreed to meet in the next few months. They were excited to see what this will bring to God’s Kingdom advancement. During the luncheon and the speech/meditation it came up four or five times–‘.maybe we were made for such a time as this’.
My part was three speeches to the seniors to light a fire under their spiritual zeal.
The message is basically this.
Seniors, I have three speeches prepared. Once a month beginning in September when the Seniors luncheon season resumes. The leadership is in favor of me doing this. You are to listen to these inspiring talks and creatively let the Holy Spirit show you what your response should be. There is no pressure, talk around your tables after the speech and brainstorm how Beulah,s seniors can impact greater Edmonton for Kings Jesus. If you want to come on board fine if you are not inclined do not feel slighted. Sometimes other family issues take precedence.
Catch community …. this is the bare bones idea that I am going to pray about and have God make it happen. It was after all His idea…after the writing down of the plan my body literally vibrated with joy and anticipation for this God ordained project.
PS. There is much more to this already. I thought it was urgent to let the seniors in the Catch Community know what God had put on my heart. To also give Marti and John some encouragement that this theme of ‘such a time as this ‘ is gathering momentum.
What a tremendous message, Peter, thank you!!!
Isn’t it marvelous to encounter, and then capture, and then share those Eureka’s rather than allowing those moments to slip away into “senioritis”??!!
I got a little goose-pimply and excited as I absorbed the energy behind your words. They are both inspired and inspiring!
Thank you for sharing and stay encouraged my friend!!! Pursue your good work.
Blessings of Shalom, Peace to you and Jane…
🙂
Amen, Bob.
Wow, Peter. So much encouragement! So exciting. We are with you. Let us know where we can help. Work with Marti’s questions. They will help draw the action out of you. She’s good at that!