Esther

About four weeks ago, I began a Bible Study based on Beth Moore's 9-week study, Esther. The study is an in-depth look at....you guessed it: the book of Esther! It has been such a privilege to walk with our 9th-12th grade girls though this book "full of treasures," as I tell them. I hope they are starting to believe me! I chose this study for two reasons. First of all, I wanted them in God's Word. Instead of hearing someone else's commentary on Christianity or some other hot topic, I wanted them to go straight to the source. Don't get me wrong, I love all kinds of Christian literature and think they can be so helpful in facilitating spiritual growth. But I wanted our girls to experience the joy that comes from God's Word itself. I want them to learn to study it themselves, so they don't have to rely on someone else to pull Truth from it and apply it to their lives. Secondly, I wanted them in the Old Testament. The New Testament is awesome. It's direct. It's relevant. It's applicable. But the Old Testament? It's well.... old. And harder. But still just as direct, just as relevant, just as applicable. So let's dive in full force with the only book of the Bible that never mentions God's name. Not once. Surely that book doesn't have anything for me from God. Or does it? It's been such a joy. He is written ALL OVER every sentence, thought, chapter. I can't get enough. I encourage you to try this study too. You just might catch the sickness. In doing this study, I discovered one of my favorite passages in maybe all of Scripture. "Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, 'Do not imagine that you in the king's palace can escape any more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this'." -Esther 4:13-14 For such a time as this. Last week we watched a video of a man who understands in the truest sense what that phrase means. He says himself, "I think in many ways, as it turned out, my entire life up to that moment had been a preparation to handle that particular moment." He knows what it means for every moment of his career as a commercial air pilot to train him for one pivotal moment. Take some time to watch this video, and you will understand what I mean: What seemingly impossible situation/circumstance has God placed you in? And what can little old me or you do about it? Well as it turns out, anything God calls us to. As children of God we are heirs with Christ; we are members of his kingdom. What if all of the experiences in our life have prepared us, trained us, refined us. What if all of it has been for right now; this very moment. What if God has paved the way for something huge, something beyond our comprehension, but never beyond His. Right here. Right now. "And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?"