HealingStrong's Around the Word

Episode 42 - The Esther Series: For Such a Time as This (Esther 4:12-14 NIV)

• HealingStrong • Episode 42

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We explore the powerful message from Esther 4:12-14 about trusting God's presence even when we can't see Him working. Our discussion centers on how God orchestrates circumstances behind the scenes and uses imperfect people to accomplish His divine purposes.

• God remains present and working even when His name isn't explicitly mentioned
• Difficult times often serve to test and strengthen our faith
• True faith means praising God for provision before it arrives
• God works through imperfect people despite their failures and compromises
• Looking for God in small daily details helps us recognize His ongoing guidance
• Our current position might be exactly where God wants us "for such a time as this".

Suggested Resources:

BIBLE PLAN - Trusting God's Plan When You Don't See Him: Lessons From the Book of Esther

PODCAST - Genesis to Revelation Bible Reading

TOOLS - Refresh Your Spirit through God's Word


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Speaker 1:

His plans are not our own plans, and when we can't see Him, we can trust His Word.

Speaker 2:

Hi, my name is Cheryl and you're listening to Healing Strong's Around the Word. We're friends sitting around the table who love the Lord and love digging deep into His Word. Each day, you'll hear me reading a Bible passage and then we'll chat about what we're learning from it. Each day, you'll hear me reading a Bible passage and then we'll chat about what we're learning from it. Today, I'll be reading Esther, chapter four, verses 12 through 14, all from the NIV version of the Bible. So join us Around the Word. Esther four, verses 12 through 14.

Speaker 2:

When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer Do not think that because you are in the king's house, you alone of all the Jews will escape, for if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place. You and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? That was our Bible reading for today. Now let's see what Susie, jeff, angie and myself were discussing around the word. And who knows, but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this. Esther 4.14. Welcome everybody. We are so glad that you are here with us. We are just a few friends from HealingStrongorg just sitting around the table talking about God's Word and what we see in the reading today, and we are so glad you are here to join us. So, guys, let me just introduce everybody at the table. First of all, I am Cheryl, I'm Angie, I'm Susie.

Speaker 3:

And I'm Jeff.

Speaker 2:

And again, we're all volunteers with Healing Strong and we are folks that just love God's Word. We are not huge Bible scholars, we haven't been to seminary. We are just people that love God's Word and we're excited that you're along with us on this journey to read about Esther and learn from her. So I want to open it up to everybody and just ask have you had times in your life where you felt like God wasn't there, but you knew he was working in your life?

Speaker 4:

Well, of course, cheryl, most of my life, you know, I've had many things that have happened to me that I thought wow, that doesn't seem like something that a loving father would want for me. So what's going on here? A lot of the times, most of the times, I look back and I go well, that was my fault. It wasn't anything that he did, but certain things that I did, certain things that I chose, caused the consequences that I was suffering. But there are other times in my life when I go God, what did I do to deserve that event? And it doesn't necessarily have to be something that I've caused.

Speaker 4:

It's something, it's His providence that he needs to test us to see what our faith is and to see how strong we will believe when we're in the fire. You know. So if everything's always easygoing and everything's beautiful our way, I don't know about you, but I tend to stray and give myself more credit than should be due and I think, oh well, I can do this on my own. So, yeah, there's been lots of times when I thought what is going on here, lord? I'm thinking of some right now. I really don't want to share the details, but it's 30 years ago when now I go oh my goodness, god, you were so good to allow that thing to happen to me because of the result of that now and how he turns our mourning into praise. Garments of praise.

Speaker 2:

So yeah, In the story of Esther it's known that we don't see God's name in the scripture, that we don't see God's name in the scripture. In this book, though, we know he's present throughout all of the circumstances and what happens, Jeff? I mean, what do you think about that?

Speaker 3:

I love it, because life happens. And when life happens, too many of us think you know, because I believe in God, I'm following him, I'm being a good person and all of that. You know because I believe in God, I'm following him, I'm being a good person and all of that that your life, like Angie was saying, is going to be just peachy keen. But that is not the case. I remember a time when my whole team, we lost our jobs. It was all outsourced. And here I was trying to find a job. Everywhere I looked sorry, we're not interested, sorry, not interested.

Speaker 3:

And it took a huge leap of faith, going through his word, going God, why aren't you answering my prayer? I need a job. And then I just I realized where is my faith? Like you were saying, angie, he allows certain things to check on our faith. So I started on my knees praising him, knowing that eventually he will provide. So I praised him for the job I would get at some point, before you even had the job, before I even had the job, I didn't even know where it would lead, but I knew he was faithful. So, in those difficult times, realize that he cannot lie. He is always faithful. He will never leave us nor forsake us. He will see us through in the valley, like Psalm 23. Will see us through in the valley, like Psalm 23. He will walk us through and he is depending on us to show Him our true faith. And it's a good lesson for us to realize where are we in our own faith in those difficult times?

Speaker 4:

And Jeff, I want to add to that you know he's good and he's faithful, and those two premises we have to stand on strongly, and those are true despite my frailties and my failures. So he's going to be faithful to me and he's going to fulfill the promises to me regardless of me, Maybe even in spite of me, and that's such a good thing to realize. And it took me decades to realize that, because I always lived with I'll be honest with you a spirit of condemnation and I know the scripture says there's no condemnation in me because I have Jesus Christ in me and I am an heir of Jesus Christ but it plag to me greatly. But in spite and we see this story in spite of Esther's behavior, in spite of Mordecai's behavior. They were Jews and they went along with the culture and they did things and participated in things that were not God's plan and God's way. That doesn't mean he can't use them, you know, he used them in a mighty way. Gives me hope.

Speaker 1:

Well, I think with Esther, the thing that stands out to me the most and, like you were saying, angie, you know his plans are not our own plans and you know when we can't see him, we can trust his word and this study definitely continues to go over and over again the faithfulness of God. And also when you see Mordecai and Esther's responses to obedience to God, it gives us hope when we're in those places where we can't see him.

Speaker 2:

For me, it's just also just being conscious of looking for him in the small details in the text that you get randomly, in the person that wants to talk on the phone, in the stranger that you meet at the grocery store.

Speaker 2:

Look in those small details, see the opportunities that God is presenting for me each day, and I have no idea that that small conversation or something could be directing something huge in my life that I don't know at the time because I'm not all knowing, and so I think it's really helpful for me to just get to step back and learn to trust the person that is orchestrating everything, even when I don't see it. Wow, trusting when you don't see that is so hard. I know it's hard for me. I bet it might be hard for you as well. But we get to see that in Esther's story, and I am so thankful that you are joining us for Healing Strong's Around the Word podcast. I hope you're encouraged to read God's word and explore it just like we are. Please visit us at healingstrongorg, where you can find out more about our mission and our community groups. Until next time, remember, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.