Lowkey LegendsNäide

Have you ever heard the story of Esther? Maybe you’ve heard bits and pieces of Esther’s story. You’ve probably heard she became queen and was placed in the kingdom for “such a time as this.” You’ve probably seen that quote from Esther 4 on a keychain, a post on Instagram, or on a poster somewhere. Well, there’s definitely more to the story than just that quote. Esther was an orphan in exile who was adopted by her cousin, Mordecai. Mordecai and Esther were part of God’s chosen people - the Jews. When the story of Esther picks up, God’s people had just escaped the Babylonians, who were conquering Judah, and Mordecai escaped to Persia with Esther. While Mordecai and Esther were in Persia, the king was searching for a new queen.

Officers were appointed to find “beautiful young virgins” from across Persia and present them to the king. Esther fit this description, so she was taken into the king’s palace. Mordecai advised Esther to hide her Jewish ethnicity from the king. Perhaps this protected her and allowed her to gain more favor with the king. Eventually, Esther was chosen to be the new queen. While some may see this as luck because of Esther’s beauty, God had a plan for her and would use her position for His glory.

Likewise, in our own lives, we might think that the family we’re given, the environments we’re placed in, our workplace, our school, and our community are coincidences, but have you ever stopped to think, “Why am I here and what am I doing?” I’m sure Esther had moments when she stopped and questioned, like when she was escaping the Babylonians, when her parents died, or when she moved to Persia. She probably wondered why the king chose her and why God gave her the position as queen. This was not a coincidence or luck. God had a plan and Esther had a choice to follow God’s plan and obey or to let God use someone else. We also have a choice. We must decide if we will be obedient to what God has called us to or live according to our own desire, which will ultimately lead to destruction. Which are you choosing in your own life right now?

Do you trust that God is sovereign? Do you believe God has a plan for your life and wants to use you where you are? This week, we’re going to study what it looks like to trust God’s providence even when things seem messy.