A New Queen: Seeing with God's Providence. Esther 1-2, BSF Global Lec. Lesson 13

BSF Global Lecture provided by BSF HQ on Esther 1-2Seeing all things within God's Providence and Sovereignty.People explain their lives in different ways. One of the most powerful differences in telling the story is when one includes God vs not including God.Remember that most of the Bible were written by God’s prophets. But here’s one of the few books not written by prophets but by an unknown Jewish historian (- perhaps because the prophets are focused on a more central witness with the returnees in Jerusalem). Observe the details that make it a historical genre. But we see that removing God’s explicit mention does not remove His indelible work among the Jews.This applies to all the stories we read through Scripture. Without God, we see hopeless, despair, and confusion. But when we remember God's providence and presence in each instance, we find that even in the worst circumstances, that God is with them (and us) and in total control - for He is sovereign and in complete, perfect control. He knows the plans he had for us and what He wants to undertake. If we only pay attention, we can see in hindsight the "footprints in the sand" and the rescues in His plans. When we trace His plans there in the stories, we rejoice in wonderment over His acts, for all His ways are perfect and meant for our good and for the good of those we didn't even think to be included in God's plans.So Esther is a unique story told seemingly without mention of God. But we know God is at work in their history, much the same way He is working in our stories today.This Christmas, we see secular stories pushing to drown out the sacred storu. How do we witness and tell of the spiritual work being done by a God who loves, saves us, and cares for us, and is using us, training and preparing us, and teaching and maturing us, and having us involved in micro and macro projects for His honor, glory, and praise?How would you tell your story - not the secular version non-believers see and follow, but the sacred version God's people are called to remonstrate to those who don't see? How does that affect your telling others about the Christmas Story?