#28 Where Is God in All of This?

The men's Bible study in Kanawha just finished discussing the book of Esther. Esther is an unbelievably well-written book. The tension is real; the drama is intense; it seems no detail goes to waste. We found time after time where an event mirrored or reversed a previous event. (For example, Esther risks her life by going before King Xerxes without being summoned, while the previous queen was dismissed for not going before the king when she was summoned.) In short, Esther made for a very fun study.

Now the book of Esther is famous for never mentioning God. God's name never appears in the book, nor are there any references to worship or other religious practices. Instead, God's people are delivered through a series of events that unfold like coincidences. The events of the book of Esther take place while God's people are in exile, far from the land of Israel and the temple in Jerusalem, the symbol of God's presence with His people. So the people feel far from God's presence. God seems silent to them. And yet, the people are delivered. As best as we can tell, the book of Esther is written to show how God works on behalf of His people even when He seems absent. There doesn't seem to be any way the events of Esther could happen the way they do if God is not controlling circumstances and protecting His people. God is truly active, not absent.

The book of Esther is very relevant to our situation as God's people in the church today. God's people are scattered throughout the world. Many of us feel that God is not as active as He was in Bible times: we don't seem to see as many miracles being done, and we don't always hear God speaking so clearly when the Bible was finished nearly 2000 years ago. But Esther teaches us that God is still in control. God doesn't just leave things up to chance. He watches out for and delivers His people even when He seems absent or silent. We may be threatened; we may even suffer. But God will not let His people be destroyed. In fact, He will continue to make His church grow, and He will eventually completely defeat our enemies. Sometimes God may seem hard to find. But He never abandons us. He remains faithfully present with us and working in our midst. Always.

Grace and peace,
BMH