Four Lessons from a Royal Wedding

The story of Esther is one of my favorites in the Bible.  Take time to go back and read it again like you were doing so for the first time.  It’s like a mixture of Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast all rolled up into one.  From this amazing story you will see four amazing lessons.   

Lesson #1 - God is always at work behind the scenes orchestrating your life.  Do you realize that while you're sitting there reading this blog post, God is working behind the scenes orchestrating your life.  In the story of Esther, God was working behind the scenes orchestrating the lives of people to get them exactly where He wanted them.  I don't know about you but that gives me so much confidence.  I don't have to fear.  I don't have to worry.  I don't have to live with anxiety because God is always at work behind the scenes orchestrating my life.  God is working behind the scenes even when it looks like evil is winning.  God is even working behind the scenes when you face disappointment.  You see, God knows the future.  And even in your disappointments God is orchestrating your life.  That is amazing.  Never forget that lesson. 

Lesson #2 - The people God uses are usually the unexpected ones.  Whoever would have thought a Jewish orphan would become the queen of Persia and be used by God to save an entire nation from extinction?  If you're sitting there reading this post and you're thinking to yourself, I am the last person God would ever use, then chances are really good you might be the next person He chooses.  Because the people God uses are usually the unexpected ones. 

Lesson #3 - God is never absent in our lives and in our circumstances.  You know what's amazing about the book of Esther?  Not once, not even once, does the book of Esther ever mention the name of God.  You can't find it. In fact, there's not even a pronoun referring to God in the book.  That's why many people did not feel Ester should be part of the Bible because how can a book be part of the Bible that doesn't mention God?  But as you read this book you will discover that even though you're never going to see the name God as you read, you're going to see His fingerprints on every single page.  You see, that's how God often works.  His invisible providence is always working in our lives and you will see in this book irony after irony after irony that's well beyond coincidence because God is never absent in our lives.  He is never absent in our circumstances. 

Lesson #4 - In the end, God wins.  That's what happened in the book of Esther in Persia during the time of Esther and it still happens today.  Folks, listen.  We live in a time that's a disturbing time.  We live in a time in which it looks often like evil is winning but I need you to understand something.  I need you to realize that even today, even when it looks like evil is winning, God is at work behind the scenes.  His providence is real.  His providence is true.  And when the day comes when this world as we know it comes to a screeching halt, and that day will come, I want you to know that no matter how bad it looks now, on that day God wins.  And when God wins, so does His church.