Esther and the providence of God.

Esther and the providence of God.

We are several weeks into our series on the book of Esther. It’s not what I as a Pastor of preaching expected to find thus far. A ‘hidden’ God, a spiritual mentor with bad advice and a less than virtuous heroine are just some of the surprises which awaited me in my personal study and now public exposition of this Old Testament book. But then I have also found the expected, a sovereign God, the fickle, shallow and self absorbed political leaders, and the world’s materialistic definition of success. Nothing new there, it’s the same today as it was in Esther’s day. Sin and pleasure can be so predictable. The complexion changes but unredeemed man’s nature and pursuits remain the same. Our main encouragement from the scriptures thus far has been that God always makes His will stand regardless of the plans of men (Proverbs 19:21). God uses our obedience and our disobedience to bring about His purpose of redemption for a desperate and needy people. He is sovereign in our righteous decisions and sovereign in our sinful decisions. He’s not simply reactive but proactive in all things, saving a people from themselves and saving them from Him. He doesn’t resort to a plan B when we mess up to make things realign with His ultimate plan but He’s literally in the actions of man at each step. What great encouragement to know then that a good, merciful, forgiving and yet righteous and holy God sits on the throne of the universe governing in the very affairs of each one of us. He doesn’t wink at our sin but offers forgiveness and newness from sin as we return to Him. Esther, Mordecai and Pastor Guy sit in the very palm of the Creator God who brings about His plan of redemption for them in all their circumstances. We trust His promises when we can’t see His providence. soli deo gloria!