I am currently teaching through the book of Esther with a women's group at our church. I wanted to share some of my thoughts so far on the book. Each week I will try to post a few things that I am learning through the study.
The Israelites have been in captivity for 70 years and King Cyrus has allowed them to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple (Ezra). There are a few Israelites who remained in the land of exile. Mordecai and Esther's families are part of this group. God is going to use them and the circumstances at the time to rescue the Jews from annihilation. (I love the fact that God uses ordinary people to accomplish His plans in this world.) King Xerxes, king of Persia, is having a banquet for all his officials and the last day of the banquet (party) the king summons Vashti, his wife, to come show off her beauty to the people and his nobles. She refuses and this makes the king angry. In his anger he banishes Vashti from his presence forever and makes it a law for the women of the land to obey their husbands. God will use this situation to place Esther in the palace as queen at just the right time. She has come to the kingdom for such a time as this.
What about us? We are a part of God's kingdom for such a time as this. God has a plan for our lives. Are we available (like Esther) to be used by God? Our purpose: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith– and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10
As we do good works (like loving the unlovable) the world sees a difference in us and God is glorified. Because he rescued us from sin and death we should desire to do good works and glorify the him. Are we?
Why not ask God today what good works you can do for Him?
Please feel free to leave your responses or thoughts on the subject. We had a great talk at Bible study about pride, anger and eventually being willing to do as the Lord asks us.