Oh Kenya… where to begin…
This month was tough, but was totally redeemed by the grace of God. I was broken at the beginning, but my joy and strength was restored… no, not just restored, it was overflowing out of me by the end! The Lord picked me up when I was weak and gave me His strength…
When I was consumed by jealousy, He gave me peace of mind.
When I didn’t think the pain could stop, He healed me.
So how did He do that??
Tough lessons from Esther!!!
Last month in Cambodia, I had been praying over my “after-race” plans… and the Lord took me to the book of Esther. He told me that, just like He used Esther’s gifts to save the Jews, He was going to use my “gifts” to save a large people group. Pretty vague, I know. But still powerful. So since then, I’ve felt this draw to Esther and understanding her life more…. so this month, how perfect that I should find an Esther Bible study in our contact’s library – I was so excited!
Here are some of my findings/lessons learned:
First off, did you know that “God” is not actually mentioned in the Book of Esther? But, if you’ve read the book, it’s obvious that He’s working behind-the-scenes the entire time. So the first and obvious lesson was/is that God is always with us and is always fighting for us; He shouldn’t have to speak to us through a burning bush or part the Red Sea to get our attention. Our eyes should always be open to His work around us. Which verse is it that talks about being watchful? Hmm… Colossians, maybe? So just like Esther had to press in during hard times and listen/wait on the Lord, so must I. And when I think God isn’t there, I have to remember that sometimes He works invisibly to test our faith.
Second, I learned the God can bring unbelievable endings from uneventful beginnings. Esther was an orphan and had absolutely nothing at the start of her life. But God took her and her story and turned it into something great…. God turned her into a queen. So why couldn’t God turn my story (or your story) into something great??? Just think about it.
Thirdly, I was reminded that, yes, I am one, but I too can make a difference (Psalm 139:13-14). Esther was just one human being with a whole lot of power given to her. And God used her for His glory. So why couldn’t He use me??
Fourth, we should always wait on the Lord, instead of rushing into a frenzy of activity. Isaiah 40:31 shows us that if we wait we will gain new strength, we’ll gain a better perspective, we’ll store up extra energy, and we’ll deepen or determination to persevere. Sounds good to me!
Fifth, when all seems lost, it isn’t! The Jews were about to be exterminated and God turned everything around and saved them at the very last minute. So why couldn’t He do that in our lives? We have to remember that by living our lives by the way things appear, we are living our lives by sight, not faith. (2 Cor 5:7)
Next, it’s important to cultivate self-control. In Esther 8, God gave the Jews the right to retaliate as they saw fit – but they showed extreme restraint… even against the enemy that was about to wipe them out. In life, we need to remember that no matter how badly someone hurts us that as a Christian, the Lord is our defender and will seek justice on our behalf. We don’t have to do anything….but love, of course.
Lastly, we need to focus on the celebration of live, not the hardships! The book of Esther was written to memorialize the Jews and their (God’s) triumph. So, in life, we must not look back on our mistakes and/or poor decisions with shame… instead look back on the celebrations and the people who loved you well. Don’t let your past define your future. And if your rough past comes back up, take it to the Lord and deal with it once and for all!
Those are just a few of the lessons I learned while studying Esther. It was an eye-opening month, to say the least… but so, so good. The Lord taught me so much and just mended my little heart back together. God is good!
