This Is the Old Testament is part of a twelve-week thematic overview of the entire Bible. Each day we’ll read a thematic selection from a different book or two of the Bible, along with supplemental passages that show how the theme of that day’s main reading is found throughout Scripture. We’ll also read a brief summary of each book and a reflection on how the book fits into the larger story of Scripture. This week, we’ll finish the Historical Books and move into the genre of Wisdom Literature.
The Book of Esther: The book of Esther tells the story of how Esther, a Jewish girl, became queen of Persia. After her cousin Mordecai uncovered a plot to annihilate the Jewish people, he encouraged Esther to use her position to save her people from destruction.
How Esther Fits into the Story: Without ever mentioning Him by name, the book of Esther speaks of the Lord’s presence and sovereignty in the lives of His people. God’s promise to give the Jewish people an eternal ruler remained, even in the face of threatened annihilation. Before man sought to devise their destruction, God’s invisible hand was always at work in the story of Esther and her people, securing their deliverance.
Reflection Questions:
1. How does God’s unnamed provision in Esther 4:1–14 change your understanding of how He works in your own life?
2. How does today’s reading shape your understanding of the story of redemption?
Take time to reflect on your responses and share what you are learning with others in the community in the comments.
Leave a Reply
114 thoughts on "Esther"
The book of Esther is such a beautiful example of having courage in the face of uncertainty and seeing that God is moving on His people’s behalf even when it might not be visible for us. I’m so grateful that the Lord is always moving and is in control. I pray that each of us would have peace, joy and comfort knowing this truth. God, thank you for your protection, your love and your care. You are so good!
❤️
The book of Ester just goes to show how much God has His hand on us, and how much He is working through us on our behalf. Even though we can’t see Gods hand we know that He is working in ways that we can’t imagine how God can take the most broken, wreaked hard things can put them all back together for His plan.✝️❤️
❤️
Reflection Questions:
1. How does God’s unnamed provision in Esther 4:1–14 change your understanding of how He works in your own life?
That we should be strong and courageous in the face of fear and uncertainty. Do the right thing even when the outcome may be scary.
2. How does today’s reading shape your understanding of the story of redemption?
BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS!!!!
Esther is only one example of how God used (and continues to use) women in His kingdom. She is one of my favorite heroes (heroines) in the Bible. Many years ago, I did a Beth Moore study of the Book of Esther. I recommend it to anyone who wants to understand the intricacies of this story. I’d love to go back and do it again.
My surgery went well this morning after all the hurrying and rushing around. I was a nervous wreck when I first got there. Then I started calming down and realizing I was not alone. and that God was with me, loves me and knew all about the new schedule. By the time i was in the operating room and going under anesthetic, I was thanking God that I was not alone and that nothing could separate me from Him. I could definitely tell that people (YOU) were praying. So far, the pain is tolerable and I’m able to put more weight on it than I anticipated.
I felt your prayers. And the comfort I received from being able to reach out quickly to my SRT community of sisters and ask you to pray was immense. I love this community and our commitment to one another’s prayer and emotional needs. I love seeing God answer those prayers in big and little ways … and we all know there are no little ways when we’re the one involved.:-)
Although I dont always comment, I always pray for each request, and hold you all in my heart.
❤️
Song recommendation: “Somebody Prayed” by Crowder
It is so great to hear this report, Teresa!!! It gives me JOY to know that we helped you with our prayers! Praise God for your successful surgery. Prayers for a smooth recovery and rehab time. Don’t overdo it today. ❤
And I love that song!!!
Glad it went well.
Thank you for your prompt update ❤️ hope you rest well.
❤️❤️❤️
❤️
So glad all went well Teresa.. now rest in Him.. continued prayers and blessings..❤️
Glad it went well after your abrupt crazy start to the morning. Praying as you recover
Glad it went well after your crazy start to the day. Praying as you recover.
Wonderful to see Gods answer to prayers in such a sweet way. Praying for your recovery!!
The overarching theme of Esther seems to be to do what God asks/the right thing even if it is/could be costly. This coupled with the part of Rhonda J.’s comment regarding LGBTQ issues led me into thinking about how I love summer, but this being “pride month” can put a damper on June for me. The debauchery, calling evil good, etc that is thrown in our faces, and we are expected to support it. So difficult —for me anyway— to try to stand for the “Truth in love”. Then ultimately seem to be judged as haters. I guess that’s the cost–being misunderstood and labeled falsely. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit help me(us)to share the Truth in love.
.
Song that popped into my head yesterday but works for today as well (any day❤️).
.
“Are Ye Able?” refrain: Lord, we are able.
Our spirits are Thine.
Remold them, make us,
Like Thee, divine.
Thy guiding radiance
Above us shall be
A beacon to God,
To love, and loyalty.
It is so difficult at times, B, especially if close friends or family are on the ‘other side’ and truly don’t see things as God does.I am not familiar with that song, but I looked it up. Good hymn! ❤
I agree, it’s hard to navigate. But just knowing (from scripture) that it will be an upside down world…what is right will be labeled wrong and what is wrong will be celebrated and normalized. Living together and casual sex…and “women’s choice, dreamers. It’s all colored to sound okay, even good. And many Christians have even gone to that side, THAT is what perplexes me.
Thank you for commenting. Even here it gets a little gritty. I have felt the heat.
Esther reminds me that God is always at work, even when I can’t see Him. Just because He seems silent doesn’t mean He is absent. Looking back, I can see many times when God was providing and guiding me behind the scenes.
This reading also shows that redemption is a story of God’s faithfulness. He preserved His people and continued His plan, even through ordinary events and unexpected people. It encourages me to trust that God is still working in my own life, even when I don’t understand what He’s doing.
Amen
God is always at work in His children’s lives even if we can’t see it. He is faithful!
God is always working to redeem those who do not know Him! We have to be willing to be bold when God gives us opportunities. To speak out against evil. Silence is the same as accepting what is a lie. We are to be salt and light.
Praying for all today!
“To speak out against evil. Silence is the same as accepting what is a lie.” Yes. I don’t know that I would have had the courage as many did hiding Jewish people when it could have got you shot.
God probably had something to do in letting the Jews live.
Yes GOD preserved them so that the Messiah was born from their lineage to save you and me from eternal damnation. The Bible was written by Jewish hands. The early disciples traveled from nation to nation to preach the gospel on foot, facing exhaustion, hardships and brutal persecutions. All the Jewish disciples were executed, Paul beheaded, the rest of them martyred in tragic manner, and none refused to back down, why? for us, to lay the foundation for today’s church on which we stand.
Yes, isn’t that amazing?! I just think we seriously have no clue what really following Jesus means. We want the half-way effort. I know what I would do for my kids…would I do that for Jesus? Or those being persecuted?!
Truth!❤️
Reflection Questions:
1. How does God’s unnamed provision in Esther 4:1–14 change your understanding of how He works in your own life?
.
The book of Esther has so many invisible provision of God now that I think about it (excellen question SRT). It is such a humbling thought for me to realize how often I can so blind to His quiet provision. We can’t see well if we don’t look through faith, and sometimes it’s a battle. Scripture reminds us, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. And without faith, it is impossible to please God. I love Esther, a hidden minority orphan girl, raised by her cousin Mordecai. It is a lesson to never despise the humble beginnings or let our circumstances define our worth. God took a foster child and placed her in the highest seat of the government to bring about mighty changes. God orchestrated every move with her yielding. His unseen hand was everywhere: the timing of Vashti’s deposition, Esther’s unexplained favor with the harem overseer, then the king’s choice to make her queen, and the night when the king couldn’t sleep and flipping through the book of records to open at the exact page recording Mordecai’s saving his life uncovering an assassination plot (Had the king ordered graphic novels to be brought in to help his insomnia… But GOD). In my own life, He has ordered my steps into many unknown places. This story is a strong reminder to keep trusting His leading, even when walking into unfamiliar territory.
.
2. How does today’s reading shape your understanding of the story of redemption?
.
Redemption demands speaking out against evil. It requires us to know how to speak, wisdom in speaking, when and to whom (having communication skills is great, but building on wisdom and spiritual awareness will help us how to approach a situation). Actively breaking the silence carries a personal cost, one that many people nowadays are simply unwilling to pay. Instead, many hide behind the false security of silence. Silence makes us believe that if we just keep our heads down, the evil destroying others won’t eventually come for us. Scripture breaks that illusion here, “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews” (Esther 4:13). Redemption requires moving from “What will happen to ME if I speak?”, to, “What will happen to THEM if I don’t?”. Esther counted the cost, she went for a 3-day dry fast, and resolved to speak. Her breaking of silence is captured at this surrender, “If I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16). We see here a shift from Self-Preservation to Sacrifice. She accepted that speaking up might cost her physical life, but staying silent would cost the lives of the entire nation. Remaining silent in the face of evil is not neutrality, it is an active choice that allows wickedness to endure. In a corrupted system, compliance doesn’t buy you protection, it only buys you time. As the scripture warns: “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). Choosing self-preservation at the expense of your family, community, congregation, or nation will ultimately destroy your own identity. We must ask ourselves the hard questions today: If we keep quiet, how many souls will perish in our household, our congregation, and our nation? If God gives us a platform to speak, will we speak? will we lay down our life as Jesus leads an example of sacrifice for us to follow? We see the examples of courage today, Charlie Kirk, when he goes out to gather the lost among rebellious and defiant crowds and speaks raw truth, Charlie embodies this spirit! And Pastors John and Matt Hagee (I love them), I highly commend their leadership at Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, they have been incredibly bold in standing with Israel, fighting Replacement Theory with patient teaching, and directly addressing political and moral issues, refusing to stay quiet when the nation is being torn apart. In contrast, there are too many who stick exclusively to “safe” topics like grace and forgiveness, choosing silence on other fronts like Israel, and defining moral crises of our time. Revival starts with us. Me and you. Redemption always costs someone something. But don’t be afraid, Jesus reminds us in Matthew 16:25: “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for My sake will find it”. Do not let the fear of losing your life stop you from saving the souls of others. It is God who gives life and even the length of our lives. Our lives are hidden in Christ (Colossians 3:3). James 5:20 says: “Remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins”.
.
–PRAYERS–
TERESA DONLEY- successful surgery today and great recovery.
WENDY B- may your appointment today go well. Praise God.
KIMBERLY Z- grace and strength to adjust to your new job (congrats), may anxiety be gone.
INDIANA ELAINE- i am glad the metaphor of the Vine helped you, and thank you for the account of Judas, excellent example, who is a disciple and not attached to the Vine by choice (once saved is not forever saved, condition to remain in Christ must apply).
.
Be blessed dear sisters.
Thank you Mercy! What a great recap of our readings this morning. ❤️
Mercy, I love the reflections you have been giving in this study. I agree with the need for each of us to speak God’s truth in this tumultuous time in which we live. I’m truly hurt by all the hate and hateful speech we see in our nation. I pray that each of us can remember Esther’s fear and her strength to not only speak truth to power, but to do something with love, strength and humility.
Thank you for praying for me today. God answered, and I felt the prayers.
“to do so,” Not something
So convicting Mercy, thank you! I pray I have courage and strength to speak up when God has me to. But by reading scripture and knowing him by that relationship, and in prayer…He will equip us when needed.
So beautifully written and understood, dear Mercy, thank you!❤️
I’m gonna piggybag on top of Kayla’s response because that’s where my thoughts went after the scripture today-
“God works through providence to accomplish His plans for His people. Esther’s story reminds us of God’s saving power in the face of what appeared to be certain Annihilation. It also highlights the fact that God chooses to use ordinary people to accomplish His will, we need only to be ready and obedient. Praise God for his salvation work!!”
All through time, God’s people (the Israelites; Jews) have been marked and hated. We saw it most recently in our time in WW2, as the whole world was in peril and conflict for 1 reason…people (Hitler) hated the Jews. A hatred against a race, nationality. Yet they had assimilated into other countries and that was their home. They just had a religion.
How could one man stir up enough hate for a people and take it to murder?! (The devil and flesh). Yet we saw millions, slowly and systematically, killed. It still overwhelms we since I read many, many books of accounts from people that lived through it.
And we were shocked and horrified that something so horrible could happen. We thought how could people hate people so much? Our heart mourned for the people that lost whole families, homes, and their homes and culture.
We thought this could never happen in this day and time today, 2026. We were taught in church to love Israel, as God loves Israel. Many went back to THEIR home after the war (Zionists), and the nation was official in 1948 (this IS a prophesy before Jesus coming back fulfilled)
But (my whole point! And it Is so very important and to KNOW as Believers!) today…how would we ever think people would be fighting and hating against the Jewish nation? The prophesies tell us to Pay Attention always to that little country, the size of New Jersey, in the middle east. When all eyes are on it…time is near.
Somehow (still bewildered) after the attack on Israel…the script was flipped to make them the evil ones and Hamas (Palistine) the victims. We have seen the hate grow…and now from Christians. (Hear me…it doesn’t mean we like everything they do as a country, or as the leader does, just as in our own country. Yet we are still FOR/support America (although we see that split grow as well!)) The devil loves a split, people! So now, we see even Christian hating on Israel, rather than praying for the Jews.
TODAY..people want the people of Israel gone. Annihilated. I see/read the evil comments on social media all the time and am shocked!! Like my mouth drops at the comments fired off…and it stirs and grows and makes more chime in. Christians are divided saying “we are Israel, the church.”
SO…are we going to be Esters and stand firm for our Jewish people…God’s chosen people, the physical location where Jesus was born and walked, the miracles took place. The temple was built. The people were exiled and always God had the upperhand and brought them back amazingly? That we had/have a President that supports them and made Jerusalem the official capital again just in the last decade (that should open eyes!)
All this points to Revelation and what is going to happen…and it is! It is exciting to be alive “for such a time as this!!” WE are the sisters that have to see/know what is written and where to stand…or we fall for anything. The world will try (the devil) will be for one thing…and will try to sway us with podcasts and popular people of what to believe. Our compass IS the BIBLE! This is written not only Revelations, but Ezekial, Daniel, and Zephania (I believe).
Listen…I am not good at saying all this perfectly correct…but I know God has me speaking out and correcting this divide on Replacement Theology. People have made Zionists and Christian Nationalist into dirty words. Well, yes…I know God GAVE his chosen people their land and that is where Jesus will come back for all eyes to see. And the Jewish people don’t believe right now (just like America right now), but there is a remnant…(always throughout time) that will believe in the tribulation after the two witnesses. There will be many saved in the tribulation, but they will die for their faith. They will refuse the mark.
It makes my heart pound, and a little scary…BUT GOD, he was working all things in order, and sent Jesus, so that in Him, and in obedience, we too, can be Esters!! We can be used. We can throw as many seeds as we can in the ready fields around us!! Watering where needed, fertilizing and maturing! Going where we need to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Ministering…prophesying, praying boldly for and with others!! God will make a way!! He will use you in powerful ways but he needs our surrender and step of action. He needs our attentive ear.
It is ramping up in our own country…Christians being targeted. Will we stand or fall. Will we be Esters? Yes! Let’s be Esters! We saw this in Covid…of teachers, doctors, athletes..refusing to fold. We see now God honors them. Thank you Jesus for bold and courageous ones. We see this in people standing against the LGBT propaganda that swept through our middle and high schools and confused many young minds. But we must stand firm and stand on God’s truth. It will be harder and harder. But God will give us strength and courage!! Thank you Jesus!
Wow, that’s a lot said Rhonda! But I do agree. Israel is God’s chosen people whether we like what they do or not. Just because they are His doesn’t mean they worship Him or obey Him, but God does bless those who stand by His chosen ones.
Israel is our greatest ally. They are protecting the world from people who want to kill us. They deserve their land that God has given them and they deserve peace. Let’s all remember October 7th.
Your words really touched me. Replacement theory is so toxic, cancerous and demonic. Thank you for speaking up on this issue. People are such hypocrites, they say they are Israel (the church has replaced Israel?) then exactly if they are Israel, why don’t they intercede for the nation then, the nation of royal priesthood through which they are grafted into. I encourage everyone who is on the fence about this to study Romans 11 (this is the answer to the demonic Replacement Theory): stand firm in this truth please, ignorance is very costly, “If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble”. May God bless Israel and bring peace to the Jewish people.
I had never heard that phrase before you first mentioned it here! You covered a lot of ground today. Yes, we must STAND with Israel. ❤
Amen amen and amen. Yes to standing with Israel. I couldn’t have said it better Rhonda. I read so much on WW2 and can become overwhelmed at the hatred and what was to to the Jewish people.
Rhonda, there are a few things you say that I feel compelled to address. I do believe that the nation of Israel had a right to defend itself after the October 7 attack. Every nation has a right to self-defense. Anti-semitism is categorically wrong for worshippers of Jesus, our Jewish Savior. But that doesn’t mean that everything the GOVERNMENT of the modern day nation of Israel does is defensible. Committing genocide against an entire population is always wrong, no matter who the victims are. The Jews should know this better than anyone because they have always been the victims in the past. I do not have all the answers, and even if I did, I do not believe this would be an appropriate place to go into that. But genocide is absolutely a moral issue. And Christian Nationalism is another word for racism—the belief that our country is only for white Christian people. I know that you love Jesus, and I don’t think that is what you believe. But that is what Christian Nationalists believe. I have heard that it is what Charlie Kirk believed, but I haven’t listened to many of his speeches myself, and I don’t intend to. Just know that many people believe that he has said many bad things along with the good things you have heard. (Which is why we should never put our faith in any human and test every teaching against God’s word.) Just some important food for thought.
Margaret, I agree with what you said about the current government of Israel! What they are doing in Lebanon, to Christians, is heartbreaking. And I have come to agree that genocide IS the appropriate word. I cannot support the government of Israel, just as I cannot support many things my own government does. I can pray for peace. I can love people, including Jewish people.
Thank you and Amen
Margaret,
Thank you for having the courage to speak truth to the women of God; reading your post evoked this verse from the Bible, in the last days even the elect will be deceived.” Sometimes we wonder, “how can this be true? But Christian Nationalism equals racism, mask
I am so thankful for this book of the Bible. God can use anyone with a willing heart to do His will for His people. God was working to place Esther in the right place at the right time. He always had a plan from the start.
❤
I wanted to read all of Esther this morning, but I have to cut out early today. I am sharing notes from the NKJV Enduring Word Study Bible:
“Ephesians 4:4 When the world was perfectly prepared, Jesus came at just the right time in God’s redemptive plan.
5 Because Jesus is God, He has the power and resources to redeem us. Because Jesus is Man, He has the right and ability to redeem us. He came to purchase us out of the slave market, from our bondage to sin and ‘the elements of the world’ (v. 3). It would be enough that we are purchased out of the slave market, but then God lifts us to the place of His sons and daughters by adoption.
.
Biblegateway verse of the day:
Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”
.
Love, hugs, and prayers! ❤
.
SONG SHARE:
I found this song in my search (new to me)
Protector by Kim Walker Smith
Protector,
You never, never, never let me go
You said You wouldn’t leave me, and You won’t
You’re right by my side
Protector
You hide me in the shadow of Your wings
Your presence is my peace, my covering
My song in the night
Protector
No weapon, no worry will prosper against me
No darkness, no evil will tease or torment me
All power, dominion to one Name is given
My fortress, my freedom, my refuge, my Jesus
–
NOTE/DISCLAIMER: she ad libs a lot at the end and my ears couldn’t pick up the words, but these are partial lyrics provided (end of song)
.
2) One of my favorite songs-
Rescue by Jordan St. Cyr (Official Music Video)
❤️
For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place… Esther 4:14 .
How many times have I dithered on whether or not to listen to the Holy Spirit only to have the opportunity pass to another to complete His purpose…
.
Praying for an open and obedient heart to pursue God’s opportunities to serve.
Oh, thank you, Laurel! I meant to mention that. but rushing this morning and forgot to! ❤ I saw this as my comment posted.
Excellent point,Laura. How many times have I delayed, only to see another Believer listen to the Holy Spirit and do or say the right thing? It’s so important to listen to that still, small voice telling me the way to speak, the way to move.
An open and obedient heart..❤️
Q.1. Sometimes God works with the circumstances around me. Esther prayed and fasted and I’m sure she asked God for wisdom to know what to do. She then used the resources she had to bring about the change she desired. I think too many times I’m waiting for God to do something outside of the ordinary, everyday circumstances of my life and He is telling me to use the resources I have, the position I have, the wisdom I’ve received from Him to bring about the change that is needed.
Right now, thru these verses, God is telling me to keep doing what I do – teach high school art, play the piano at church, teach Sunday School…keep being who He has called me to be. And trust that He is working all the time.
Q2. Even though God’s name isn’t mentioned in the book of Esther His hand is all over this story. “…for such a time as this” leads me to “you planned evil, God planned it for good…”
He rescued the Jews by using Joseph, but they kept messing up and ended up in exile. He rescued them from Haman using Esther and Mordecai, but they continued to mess up, to sin. God “gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the power of their enemies.” Then, “when the time came to completion, God sent his Son…”
It is done. It is finished. Praise God!!!
Insightful answers!❤️
Especially impacted by “I think too many times I’m waiting for God to do something outside of the ordinary, everyday circumstances of my life and He is telling me to use the resources I have, the position I have, the wisdom I’ve received from Him to bring about the change that is needed.”
“… to keep being who He has called me to be.” Thank you for that. ❤️
I love Esther. I’ll have to do the reading later today. Myu surgery that was scheduled for 11:30 was rescheduled to 8:20. But no one told me. They called 20 minutes ago to see where I was! We’re now speeding (literally) down the road, I haven’t had a shower and we won’t get there until 8:15. I’m shaking like a leaf! When I told them I haven’t taken a shower yet, they said they’d wipe me down with sterile wipes!
Please pray for God’s peace to envelopes me, for no one at the hospital to get in a big hurry and make mistakes, and for the surgery to go well. I wasn’t even nervous about it last night, but now I’m truly scared.
Thank you for praying!
Praying :) If I’ve learned anything in my life so far, doctors are in a hurry for nothing lol :) :) :) Praying for this to all go as smoothly as possible, you to remember that God knew it was first thing this morning even if you didn’t, and he’s already there with you :) ❤️❤️❤️
Amen. And amen. God knew the entire time. It’s his perfect plan. Rest in it
Praying
Oh, Teresa, I saw your name and haf to read before signing off. I am praying ad you requested, and that you are the only one rushing this morning! Prayers for successful surgery and recovery- no surprises in either! Hugs. sister! ❤ Agreeing with Heidi and Karen!
Teresa, praying for you at this very moment, may God calm your anxious heart before you arrive. Praying all goes well! ❤️
Praying your surgery and recovery is going smoothly Teresa.
Praying the surgery went well, and recovery will be smooth and worth it!
Also hoping you had a very nice birthday yesterday!! Blessing this year for you! Still praying for your diagnosis as well…and your daughter!!
Praying Teresa for a successful day and painless recovery. Hugs and love to you.
Praying❤️
Oh what a fright to receive that call!!
Praying with all of the Shes. ❤️
Praying that your surgery was successful this morning, and that the Lord would bless you with a smooth recovery!
Praying that ll went well
The podcast with Lisa Harper- “Back Porch Theology” is doing a full run through the whole Bible this year- a book each episode. Obviously they have to do what SRT is doing and truncate a lot! :) April 20 was their episode on Esther and I REALLY RECOMMEND LISTENING!! :) This book is such a monumental work in our Bible and sadly it (like Ruth) often gets diluted down to little more than a “Christian Fairytale” (not at ALL implying SRT has done this— just meaning in general Christian reference with this story, a lot is ignored or misunderstood). The episode is called “Between a Rock and a Hard Place”, released April 20 :) I think you’ll enjoy it :)
Thank you for that recommendation
Went for an early walk before work and listening. Thank you Heidi! I studied the Kelly Minter Esther Bible study with a ladies group at church a few yrs ago. One of my favorites!
Love this! I love the book of Esther as well- did a Beth Moore study YEARS ago, but diving deep I to it was so eye opening… she was so much more than the lovely “pageant queen” I feel like she’s made out to be… ❤️
❤️
Thanks for the rec, Heidi!
Thanks! ✨❤✨.
The book of Esther is one of my favorites in the OT.
❤️
for such a time as this…we should redeem the time. ..
The fingerprints of God’s provision are all over my life in every way. Its His ever present, yet not visible hand, moving and working in ways beyond my knowledge or understanding. There are things that I can see, can pinpoint and say with certainty it was His provision but how many more things has there been that I truly have no knowledge? Countless, I’m sure. Because I know the faithfulness and goodness of God, who He is, that I know His Word to be truth, I trust and know He will provide, that He fulfills His promises and deliverance and redemption are part of His plan. What a mighty God we serve.
Thank you for your prayers sisters. You are such a great support and blessing to me.❤️
Praying today! ❤
Amen Wendy! I love the song Evidence by Josh Baldwin. When I look back over my life I see so many places that God carried me when I couldn’t find my way. I am praying for quick access to your doctors and provision of all the answers. God works all things for our good, even when we don’t see it. Waymaker, that’s what He is. Sending love and hugs to you this morning ❤️
I’m praying for you, Wendy. ❤️
Continued prayers, Wendy..❤️
Q1 How can we ‘hear’ God if we don’t have a listening, willing and obedient heart? By hearing, I’m thinking of how a passage of Scripture may stir a memory or idea as I read, how something that honors God pops up multiple times in different ways in a short period of time, feeling a compulsion to act on something that honors God and won’t leave my thinking – could be straight Scripture from the Bible or shared/paraphrased in a song, devotion, conversation, a seemingly ‘random’ thought or from a source I wouldn’t have ordinarily sought out.
.
Q2 The story of redemption is one listening, willing, obedient heart at a time. At each critical juncture in the history of mankind and the genealogy of Christ, one or more hearts were listening, willing and obedient. Even after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, the gospel was spread by these same type hearts, and still is today.
.
Side note – every time these letters were written and sent, it seems to have been to 127 provinces. The letters written by Haman and by Mordecai related to destruction & protection of the Jewish people, by my count this would have been 500+ letters.
This got me thinking, how long has it been since I have written a letter by hand, a nearly lost art these days? At least 2-3 years :/
.
WENDY B ❣️ woohoo! Praising for today appt, praying for the needed answers
MERCY ❤️ “We cannot rebuild what we pretend isn’t broken” ❤️❤️❤️
DONNA WOLCOTT ❤️
KIMBERLY Z ❤️
CHERYL BLOW ❤️
CEE GEE ❤️
TERESA COOPER DONLEY ❤️
HEIDI ❤️
B ❤️
RHONDA J ❤️
❤️
✨❤️✨
You got me chuckle again at writing letters lol. My humble observation, you also have written countless letters of love and encouragement for us every morning on this digital platform reaching far and near hearts, that’s pretty amazing SEARCHING.❤️
I agree with Mercy! That was their only means of communication- write it out, hand it to a ‘delivery boy’ and wait for a reply in like form. My husband has recently resorted to letters by snail mail with a childhood friend, but the letter is still typed on computer. So…
.
Love your reflection focus as always! Thank you for sharing each day! ❤ I really like Heidi’s Emoticons! ✨❤✨.
That was your go to line break for a while. The glory emoticon ✨✨✨.
“How can we ‘hear’ God if we don’t have a listening, willing and obedient heart?”
Lord God Almighty,
Please give me (us) listening, willing and obedient hearts full of love for you and others. Thanks be to you, O God, for your many blessings and gifts even though often I’m not faithful. In Jesus’ name, Amen
Also adding a prayer for the courage, strength, and faith fashioned after Queen Esther to do God’s will.
Searching I write little’Nana love notes to my grandchildren!❤️
Even when we don’t see Him or hear Him or “feel” Him, He is always moving, doing more than we could ever know. Jesus is the deliverance that would eventually rise from another place..that Mordecai spoke of! I never tied that together, but wow!
✨ Hallelujah
God works in my life through my trust and obedience of Him. He works redemption in me by saving me just like He did for the Jews- He sent a rescuer❤️❤️❤️
Amen
1- This is the invisible handed God. I very rarely know real time what God is setting up, the chess pieces He is moving, the ways He is working in certain suppositions. It is often with hindsight that I am able to look back and see clearly what he is doing. The few times I knew that God was ordering my steps real time were so powerful, and those are the times I hang onto it when fear and doubt about present circumstances arise.
2 – God’s name doesn’t even need to be mentioned to know that His hand was all over this. Like the master chess player, he orchestrated every meeting, every move, every upward movement in order to keep His promise of saving the Jews. Esther is a foreshadow of Christ, she interceded for the Jews, just a Christ interceded for us!
Excellent answers Tami!
We were talking about this exact thing at jail yesterday! That when we think nothing is happening, and questioning why God doesn’t seem to be there…He is working things for good for all that love him and called for his purposes. We zeroed in on the part of Joseph’s story where he was in jail, forgotten it seemed. But God!
Thank you Tami! Rhonda, praying for your ladies, may their hope in the Lord turn their lives around and make them new.
God’s playing chess- excellent metaphor ❤️ thank you Tami.
Esther 4:14a “deliverance will come to the Jewish people from another place”
God’s provision for His people would happen because the Messiah was promised to come through them.
.
His provision for my own life is just as sure because the Messiah DID come, just as promised, and will come again as promised to fulfill God’s plan of redemption.
.
WENDY B – praying for your appt today to provide answers.
.
TERESA COOPER DONLEY – praying for your knee surgery to go well today
.
Look for Go’s provision for you today! :-)
❤️
❤️ amen
❤️
Look for Gods provision for you today, AMEN ❤️
God works through providence to accomplish His plans for His people. Esther’s story reminds us of God’s saving power in the face of what appeared to be certain Annihilation. It also highlights the fact that God chooses to use ordinary people to accomplish His will, we need only to be ready and obedient. Praise God for his salvation work!!
I love Queen Esther so much! In my twenties I would re read her story again and again! Now in my forties I hear “for such a time as this” and am reminded of this incredible heroine! ❤️
I love the book of Esther!
.
There is no mention of God, and yet, He is all over this story, this book of hope and deliverance.
.
Through Esther’s story as i read, and my own, as I look back, I can see Gods hand always covering, always present, always there with His provision, even when not seen..
Absolutely.. even when..
.
The verse in Esther 4:14b “Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position, (your hardship, your brokenness, your heartache, your status, your…… (fill in the blank), for such a time as this..’ always had my heart and attention.
Whatever the situation, whatever the goings on in our lives, God is present, and if God is present, then, He is going to move in that situation to bring about truth, hope and provision for a better outcome.,
.
For such a time as this.. it is well, it is well, with my soul..
.
He is here!
.
Amen..
.
.
Happy Thursday my dears, covered in much, much love and forever hugs and prayers..❤️
❤️ “Whatever the situation, whatever the goings on in our lives, God is present, and if God is present, then, He is going to move in that situation to bring about truth, hope and provision for a better outcome.”
Yes this is so true Tina. And so well said!
Yes. Thank you Tina
❤️
❤️❤️
Amen Tina!❤️
Amen ❤️