Hey you!
How are you doing ?
Have you ever thought about how God sometimes moves in mysterious, sutil ways?!
Reading Esther, one of the 2 books in the bible that does not mention “God” any time, I can perceive clearly that,even though not mentioned, God was there all the time, working behind the scenes.
That makes me think of how many times He did it in my own life, in ordinary things that happens every day, that goes unnoticed. I think that, sometimes, we are expecting some great move, some amazing miracle, that we don’t realize that God is actually there with us, working through small things, important details.
From the moment we open our eyes in the morning(or even before, during our sleep) untill the moment we fisished our daily tasks and go to bed, God is PRESENT, He is working for us and through us, His sons and daughters.
Reading in the book of Esther, during my devotional time the other day, I could see clearly how God works over the events, even through the weakness of the characters, to accomplish His almighty plan. Let1s read it, in Esther 5:6-8:
“And as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king said to Esther, “What is your wish? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.” 7 Then Esther answered, “My wish and my request is: 8 If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king[to grant my wish and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come to the feast that I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.”
Esther carried out the important mission of interceding for the jews to the king. So she invited him and Haman(the enemy of the jews) for this dinner. However, she was probably feeling so insecure to make her request, that she postpone her plea to the next night, inviting the king and Haman to another dinner.
This moment is very interesting for me because we can see ourselves in Esther. She was a queen for sure, but inside, she felt like a fraud. She lied or, at least, hid from the king her origin, that she was a jew. And now she is afraid to tell him. Even though God stablished her as a queen for this purpose, she still struggle with her identity.
And then, because she couldn’t ask her request in the first night, a sequence of events happened, that were not by chance but, I believe , it was aligned for God’s purpose. Let’s read it:
On that night the king could not sleep. And he gave orders to bring the book of memorable deeds, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. 2 And it was found written how Mordecai had told about Bigthana[a] and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, and who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 3 And the king said, “What honor or distinction has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” The king’s young men who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” 4 And the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace to speak to the king about having Mordecai hanged on the gallows[b] that he had prepared for him. 5 And the king’s young men told him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.” 6 So Haman came in, and the king said to him, “What should be done to the man whom the king delights to honor?” And Haman said to himself, “Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?” 7 And Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king delights to honor, 8 let royal robes be brought, which the king has worn, and the horse that the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown[c] is set. 9 And let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials. Let them dress the man whom the king delights to honor, and let them lead him on the horse through the square of the city, proclaiming before him: ‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.’” 10 Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry; take the robes and the horse, as you have said, and do so to Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Leave out nothing that you have mentioned.” 11 So Haman took the robes and the horse, and he dressed Mordecai and led him through the square of the city, proclaiming before him, “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor. 12 Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered…”
There are a lot going on on this sequence of events!
First, The king could not sleep that night( after Esther’s banquet). Why? I can only imagine that her mysterious request made the king curious, he was intrigued by her postpone plea. So he asked for the book where daily reports was written.
He found out that Mordecai, the jew, once saved his life and nothing was done for him. Let’s remember that Mordecai was the same man that Hman hated the most, and because of him, Haman convinced the king to eliminate all the jews.
Another interesting fact is, while the king was planning to honor Mordecai, after he read the report, Haman was there, on his way to ask for Mordecai’s head.
Isn’t it amazing?! this is a scene so tense and incredible that it could be a novel. And who wrote it? The One behind the scenes, working anonymously. The same God who wrote your story and mine.
Furthermore, Haman was so full of himself, that the first thing he thought was that the king wanted to honor him. So he came with a plan thinking how he wanted to be honored.
The great plot twist:
Not only the king wanted to honor his great enemy, Mordecai, but also Haman would soon figure out that his destiny was about to change forever. He would die in the same gallows he construct to destroy Mordecai.
I mean, come on, this story could only be written by God! No man could ever imagine this amazing change of events: Not Esther, not Mordecai, neither the king, much less, Haman. Everyone was taken by surprise!
I don’t know about you, but I think it is amazing how God worked great things through it all: Esther’s insecurities, Haman’s greed, Mordecai’s patience, the power of King Xerxes. Everyone was involved in this greater history to save God’s people.
That encourages me.
Every time I feel weak and insecure like Esther, every time I see my weakness getting in the way,I remember that God can do amazing, unexpected things through it all. It is not about us or our limitations. It is about His great mercy and power!
I hope this passage encourages you to surrender your story and your ways to God, He is our maker, and the story He is writing is amazing. We can trust Him!
“We’ll never comprehend all the great things he does;
his miracle-surprises can’t be counted.
Somehow, though he moves right in front of me, I don’t see him;
quietly but surely he’s active, and I miss it.
If he steals you blind, who can stop him?
Who’s going to say, ‘Hey, what are you doing?’ Job 9:12-13
I was lost. His love found me! 