Esther

(WARNING: The reading of this blog may cause eyes to cross, English/grammar pros to squeal in absolute disgust, and non-caffeinated to pass out!)

I just finished a nine week Bible study about the book of Esther, and it was such a refreshing dive into the Word of God. It was a Beth Moore Study at my church in Colorado Springs. My darling friend Blythe signed up to go through this study with me, and we had such a wonderful time learning that "it is tough being a woman". Dont worry, this was definately not a man-bashing study; in fact, it was anything but. There were seven main points that were based on the phrase "It's tough being a woman", and each one held a significant meaning in my own personal life. I am going to list those seven points, and then I will create a listing of the main things that hit me as I studyed Esther.
Its tough being a woman...
*in another woman's shadow
*in a world where beauty is a treatment
*in a mean world
*thrown a giant-sized weight
*in the tight fist of fear
*who can balance passion with patience
*who feels responsible for the "how"

1. "Some choices I have made brought pain, but You will never stop restoring what's been lost. So I will boast of Your saving deeds, and I will rave of Your glory- because You rescue. You redeem. You save. You intervene." I learned that no matter how hard I try, I cannot amputate my history from my destiny. True redemption allows God to be glorified in both our past and our future. He repairs both to the fullest so His glory can be displayed to the fullest.
2. A reversal of destiny (which the book of Esther is full of) is when God trumps our perfectly good plans with one of his own perfect plans.
3. When the command was made by the King (through Haman) that all of the Jews were to be destroyed, killed, and annihilated, it was on Passover- the Jews' most favored celebration. I'm sure their first response was to think, "Why today? Of all days!! Why on Passover?". Yet, God's timing was truly perfect. He planned for the blow of that news to hit the ears of every Jew in Persia so they would stop being so at home in Persian culture; and so that they would be reminded who they are and what God had done for them (and would do for them). What Haman intended to use for evil, God used for good. He gathered a broken and dispersed people together to fear His name again.
4. Rend your heart to God. (Joel 2: 12-17) So often I find myself becoming more and more like the world around me. Consumed with the ideals and fads of the culture around me instead of focusing on the heart at my core that belongs to a Kingdom much different than this world. I am absolutely indistinguishable as a Christian. God longs for me to stop trying to blend in with the world around and to return to Him. He wants to heal me from the inside out. He is gracious and merciful, steadfast in love. He will show pity on me.
5. My sphere of influence was given to me for such a time as this. I was chosen for His purpose and plan.Talk about finding significance- not in my own glory, but in serving for His.
6. It's important to be who God has called me to be.I need to stop looking back to what I was or what I could have been. I need to stop looking ahead to the what if's andto find contentment in the responsibilities He has given me today. Failure to do so and move forward will cause much damage, hurt, and missed living.
7. "They who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles.." Isaiah 40:31 So often I find myself waiting on the event instead of on the Lord. I cant even imagine how different things would be if I changed my thinking. Also, can you imagine what it would be like to have wings like eagles as we wait? Imagine the perspective that an eagle gets as it soars high above the trees and the situations of life below. I truly believe that God longs for His people to wait on Him so that we can have the wings of new perspective in our lives. This new perspective from above helps us to better see His plan and His purpose.
8. Craving to do something great could keep me from doing something good.
9. I will never be able to fret myself to victory. Never. I need to trust the Lord because otherwise I am going to fret myself into a frazzle.
10. Going back to the reversal of destiny (number 2), I was overwhelmed when I realized yet again the reversal of destiny I've seen in my own life. Seeing God's hand in Esther as He reversed so many things to accomplish His great purposes, I was filled with gratitude for all God has done in my own life. What an incredible reminder of who I am and where I come from. If you want to know more, please let me know! I would love to chat. I could type about this for a very long time, so instead I will leave you with one of my favorite verses. This helps sum up the reversal of destiny in my own life: "[God redeemed and restored my life]...that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified. They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations." Isaiah 61:3b-4
11. There are so many people around me who dont know the Lord and all He has done for them. Specifically, several of my friends and extended family members. I was reminded to bring each of these people in prayer before the Lord explaining what they mean to me and praying that they too could someday know Him and experience a relationship with Him first hand.
12. "Instead, the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you because the LORD your God loved you." Deut 23: 5. Praise the Lord for that! He turns what was originally intended to destroy me into a blessing. Why? Because He loves me. He truly loves His people.
13. To the world, it's not our relationship with Christ that counts; it's our resemblence to Him.
14. No matter what our "lot" in life is, God has a greater purpose in it and a desire to use us for His great Golory in his story line.

And Finally...
15. God's name is not mentioned even once in the entire book of Esther. Really. Not even once. However, His sovereign hand is all through it. See how:

• Esther's undeserved favor with the King (she was an orphaned Jew in the Persian empire). (2:5-18)
• Haman's plan to kill the Jews told on Passover: the celebration of God's ultimate protection of them. The Jews in Persia were scattered and almost completely assimilated into the culture there, yet the timing of this news brought them together and reminded them of who they truly were and who their God truly was.(chapter 3)
• Mordecai's job at the King's gate- he was able to protect the King's life and eventually gain great favor as a result. (2:19-31)
• Esther's willingness to be obedient to the role God had placed her in as Queen of Persia. She put her life on the line by going before King Xerxes on behalf of her people. (4:16-5:1)
• Esther's strange timing to ask the King her request. (chapter 5)
• King Xerxes' seemingly random inability to sleep the night before Esther made her plea. (6:1)
• The readers "just happened" to be at the part in the chronicles of Xerxes reign where Mordecai saved the King's life. (6:1-3)
• Haman plans his own glory and his enemy's extreme torture (Mordecai), yet Mordecai gets the glory and Haman ends up meeting his sad demise. (6:10-13 and 7:7-10)
• King Xerxes walks in just as Haman, pleading for his life, fell on the couch where Esther was. This was the final blow that figuratively pushed Haman off the platform of the 75 feet high gallows. (7:10)
• Mordecai and Esther gain Xerxes favor to undo what Haman had planned for the Jews. (8)
• The enemies of the Jews hoped to gain mastery against the Jews when the day came for them to fight. Instead the reverse happened, and the Jews gained mastery over those who hated them. (9:1)
• The Jews' fasting, weeping, lamenting, and sackcloths/ashes was turned into feasting, gladness, joy, and honor. (9:23-32)
  
  
  Wow! That is a LONG blog. Sorry about that. I sometimes just cant help myself from talking about the things I am learning from God's Word. It never ceases to amaze me how His Word can be so relevant and fresh every time I read it. I grew up hearing the story of Esther in Sunday School, but God made it new to me like I was going through the story for the first time. The Bible is truly living and active. I just love it! (I hope you do too)! I also hope that this has inspired you to re-read the story of Esther.
  Lots of love,
  Karen Ruth