The Book of Esther

A few thoughts on my Bible study on Esther. The study guide I used was Espresso with Esther. I loved the set up - It is small with a comb binding so it is easy to leave open. All of the Bible passages are right in the book so I'm not juggling my Bible and the study guide. Just a minor thing, but it makes it easier if I'm trying to do my study at night in bed or outside on the patio with the wind blowing. It had a good combination of thought questions and straight out of the text questions. God definitely led me to this study.
The first thing I learned from Esther is that God is in control even when He is invisible! In the book of Esther, God is NEVER mentioned. Now I knew that but it hit home with me right now.

The second thing I got out of it was "Often, despite all we know of God, things happen that don't seem to make sense - things that make it look like the world is spinning out of control. Things that break our hearts. We all have such stories, don't we? Our planet groans as if writhing in childbirth as it longs for the day when the Prince on a white horse will arrive and make all things new. But this is not that day. So for now, like Jesus at Lazarus' tomb knowing a happy ending is right around the corner, we still weep. " When it looks like all is lost; it may seem like God is absent; Yet the known facts are not all the facts. The story isn't over yet. That's hard to hold on to when things don't seem to be going the way we think they should. And it is ok to weep.

An important truth that I relearned was about patience and God's timing. In our busy, hectic world, we are so eager for things to happen NOW. Even when I practice patience, I'm thinking months or maybe a year. I never realized that the events of Esther from beginning to end covered approximately 9 years. 9 years! I am a result orientated person - to wait 9 years for God's plan to unfold seems impossible. Yet all things are in God's timing. I might as well let go of my timing because it isn't going to happen my way.

It was brought to my attention that ending well for Esther began when she decided to identify with her people. In Esther 5:1, she dons her royal robes. She is the Queen and identifies with her people regardless of what happens to her. Who do I identify with? I should be identifying with Christ.

Finally, "For such a time as this" Esther 4:14 Only God knows why we are placed where we are in life. We are placed in a particular place for "such a time as this". Why has God placed me here in my life? What opportunities am I missing?

Thank you ,God, for controlling the seen and the unseen events in my life.