Providence and Prayerful Courage

As we continue our journey through the story of Esther, the story comes to its climactic moment. Esther became the queen through a random set of events. While she has privileges, stepping before the king could cost her life. Evil Haman has secured the king's decree setting a day for a genocide of the Jews by the Persians. In this text, we see how God accomplishes His purposes from the shadows, by raising up people "for such a time as this" and strategically placing them as representatives of His Kingdom within the other kingdoms of the world. He will deliver the Jews, but Esther is the queen for this very moment. This story shows us the beauty of two amazing truths. First, we again see God's providence in this story---His secret working in our lives and stories. Second, we see that we have an important role to play and, when our story finds its place in God's story, we will experience our true purpose.