Friday, May 30, 2014

The Amazing Power of God

The amazing power of God is shown through Esther's life. I was reading about her the other day, and I am just so amazed at how God had everything planned and everything happened like he wanted it to, even when it looked like Satan was going to prevail. (Of course God defeats Satan.)  Esther is one of my favorite books in the whole Bible. No where do we see God's name mentioned anywhere, but we see his handiwork throughout. I wanted to write about my favorite chapter in the whole book of Esther. Here's just a little overview of what has happened so far in chapters 1-5. King Ahasuerus had a feast and commanded that Vashti come to his banquet so he can show her to the people present. When she refused, he banisheed her. Esther was chosen queen soon after. Mordecai told Esther of a plot to take the king's life, and she told the king, who had the conspirators hanged.  Haman rose to power and the king commanded everyone to bow to Haman when he passed. But Mordecai wouldn't bow to Haman, and of course, that ruined Haman's day. Haman went in before the king and told him about a people that didn't keep the king's laws; he asked that a law be made and signed with the king's ring: that the Jews would be killed on a certain day.
Mordecai asked Esther for help and she went in before the king, even though he didn't call her. King Ahasuerus and Haman went to a banquet Esther had prepared and he desired her to tell him what she really wanted. Esther asked that both of them would come back tomorrow night and she would tell the king what her desires were.
This is my favorite part:  Haman went away happy, but his happiness turned to anger when he saw Mordecai not making any move to bow to him. His wife and friends advised him to make a gallows and then go in before the king to ask that Mordecai might be hanged.
 God's perfect timing is shown in chapter 6:1. "On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. " Notice the phrase "on that night could not the king sleep..."  It wasn't the night before, and it wasn't the next night. It was that night and that was the night the king could not sleep.  I think God kept him awake so his plan would be played out. At first, Esther didn't understand why she was chosen queen. But when she was needed to save her people, she knew why God had placed her there.
So the chronicles are read to the king, and it's found out that Mordecai had not been rewarded for saving the king's life.  It's kind of funny, because Haman was in the court waiting to talk to the king about hanging Mordecai, and the king was wanting to honor Mordecai for his brave act. I would have loved to see Haman's face when the king told him to lead Mordecai through the street and say, "Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honor." His expression was probably a mixture of shock, anger, disbelief, and "you got to be kidding me."
Then the downfall of Haman ( and Satan) comes. King Ahasuerus and Haman join Esther at another banquet and Esther reveals that Haman is trying to destroy her and her people.
You know, if Esther had not listened to Mordecai, and told the king that she was a Jew, God's perfect plan would not have worked out. And she might not have been chosen queen.
Just as Esther was a willing vessel, ready to be used by the Master, so we should be too. She wasn't sure what God was going to do with her life, but she was willing to be used. If you're willing to be used by the Creator, he will mold and shape your life and do amazing things with it- things you wouldn't have ever imagined!!!!  Be ready and wanting to be used by God day by day.
Isaiah 64:8  But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all 
are the work of thine hand. 

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