By Pat Lubomski – Ypsilanti, Michigan
Have you heard of Esther? I have been reading the Bible book recently, and I realized that we are often like Esther in the ways we serve the Lord. And we all need to talk good to our souls – so believe that you are on a mission from God!
“And Mordecai [answered] Esther: ‘Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?’” Esther 4:13-14 NKJV
Never underestimate your connection with God; with holy spirit, it is on 24/7. And if other people around you have the spirit of God in them, God can speak through them, too.
The Lord’s Salvation
Esther is the reason for Purim in the Jewish religion, celebrated this past March. Purim is a significant Jewish holiday that celebrates the salvation of the Jewish people from a threatened massacre during the Persian period.
The story of Purim is recounted in the Book of Esther, which tells the tale of Esther, a Jewish woman who saves her people from destruction, by winning the love of the king to become queen.
Esther, at the behest of her uncle Mordecai, was convinced she was to be the answer to the prayers of the Jewish people. She was called to “such a time as this.”
She entered a “Beauty Contest” where the king was to choose a new queen. After a full year of preparations, she won the contest and the king’s heart.
Evil in Disguise
You see, a man named Haman (who was of the line of Agag, the heathen king of the Amalekites) wanted to kill all the Jews, and tricked the king into believing the Jews were dangerous and into passing a law [edict] and set a date that it was to be legal for anyone, to kill any Jew, and take all their stuff (see Esther 3).
Now this is strange: the Jews all know of this decree and are preparing to die, BUT here is Esther, who was selected from all the beauties in the realm, to spend an evening with the king and it all fell in place, and she was selected to be the queen. That was part of God’s plan of redemption.
And this is so much of how our lives are – we line up our desires with God’s, and even when we are off the mark, God provides spectacular results.
“Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:3-4 NKJV
We don’t have to be perfect (spoiler alert: we can’t), just humble, faithful, willing, and seeking.
The Hidden Hand
In the book of Esther, the name of God never appears; it is a book on the hidden hand of God… how exciting! Esther and Mordecai knew God was at work and saw the results as God worked with them.
This is happening in our lives. We are at the right places and the right times, to do what God has for us to be doing.
Esther dedicated her soul to God and did what was needed to redeem her people from the destroyer.
Her commitment and courage was much like Christ, who dedicated His soul to the Lord God, made a massive sacrifice unto the death, and redeemed all mankind.
But then His reward? His life given back to Him and more!
“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2 NKJV
Just like him, we can become more selfless and more like our Father God!
Esther was an imperfect person called on to work out ‘God’s Perfect Plan.’
As one that was a forerunner, a type of the Christ, Esther redeemed the Jews.
She was at the right place at the right time to save her people.
From a Godly perspective, she did what she was convinced God had for her to do. That action falls into the protecting the bloodline of Christ.
Back then, God found people who were willing and then able to hear His voice…just like we are now! As Jesus told the Jews and his disciples:
“The works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of Me…My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:25-27 NKJV
“Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit…Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” Matthew 7:17, 20 NKJV
Pat Lubomski has been married to Laurie since 1982! They have hosted home Bible fellowships for almost that long, and they currently pastor a neighborhood Baptist church, as well as fellowships in Southeastern Michigan and the Toledo area. They have one adult son, Jason.
Watch Pat teach at Christian Family Fellowship in “We Like People!”