Project Esther 

The book of Esther shares with us that God works with folks where they are only to take them where He wants them to be in their lives.  The book of Esther does have any reference to God, but He is at work through the entire plot.  Esther, who was raised by her cousin Mordecai, is sent to the king’s harem to prepare to meet Xerxes as he is testing the waters for a new queen.  Vashti, the former queen, was deposed for not showing her nakedness to the king all the drunken officials at a week long party.  Xerxes follows the line that any heathen king would in his day in the land of Persia.  He has sexual relations with many virgins, including Esther, until one satisfies him.  Esther participates in this process under the encouragement of her cousin and is crowned the queen.  Hence the theme of our discussion; “God works with us where we are only to take us where He wants us to be.” Another thought as it relates to Mordecai and his family.  Why are they still in Susa when most of the faithful Jews had gone back to Jerusalem with Ezra and Nehemiah?  I believe that Mordecai was not as dedicated to the Lord as some might have him to be and he stayed in the luxuries of the heathen society.   Yet again, God takes this man and his family with all of their flaws and uses them for His glory and the salvation of Jewish race from the evil plot of Haman. 

We must see the grace of God and his forbearance with us in this story.  Never think that God cannot use you because of the past or even present life situation.  Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again.  He told the woman who was caught in adultery that she was forgiven, but go and sin no more.  God wipes away our past with the precious blood of Jesus so that we can surrender to Him and grow by His grace.  Are you willing to accept God’s grace through Jesus Christ in your life today?  Do you believe that God can take you places beyond your wildest imagination if you would only trust Him?  Let Him into your life today!