Esther (Greek) 2:1-11: a reflection

1After this, the king’s anger was pacified, and he no more mentioned Vashti, bearing in mind what she had said, and how he had condemned her. 2Then the servants of the king said, “Let chaste, beautiful young virgins be sought for the king. 3Let the king appoint local governors in all the provinces of his kingdom, and let them select beautiful, chaste young ladies and bring them to the city Susa, into the women’s apartment. Let them be consigned to the king’s chamberlain, the keeper of the women. Then let things for purification and other needs be given to them. 4Let the woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This thing pleased the king; and he did so. 5Now there was a Jew in the city Susa, and his name was Mordecai, the son of Jairus, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin. 6He had been brought as a prisoner from Jerusalem, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried into captivity. 7He had a foster child, daughter of Aminadab his father’s brother. Her name was Esther. When her parents died, he brought her up to womanhood as his own. This lady was beautiful. 8And because the king’s ordinance was published, many ladies were gathered to the city of Susa under the hand of Hegai; and Esther was brought to Hegai, the keeper of the women. 9The lady pleased him, and she found favor in his sight. He hurried to give her the things for purification, her portion, and the seven maidens appointed her out of the palace. He treated her and her maidens well in the women’s apartment. 10But Esther didn’t reveal her family or her kindred, for Mordecai had charged her not to tell. 11But Mordecai used to walk every day by the women’s court, to see what would become of Esther.

The book of Esther begins to unfold its story, and much of it looks like the ordinary, even troubling, workings of a pagan court. A young Jewish orphan named Esther, raised by her cousin Mordecai, is swept up into the king's palace as one of many young women gathered for him. There is nothing obviously holy about it; it is the whim of a king. Yet, though no one could see it, God was at work, positioning Esther for a deliverance no one could yet foresee.

Notice how hidden God's hand is in this story. Nowhere does he speak or act openly; the events look like the ordinary, even troubling, course of a pagan court. And yet, unknown to any of the characters, God was working through these very circumstances, placing Esther where she would one day be able to save her people. His providence was at work behind the scenes, in events that seemed to have nothing to do with him, positioning his people for his purposes.

That is how God often works in our own lives: hidden, behind the scenes, in ordinary and even troubling circumstances that seem to have nothing to do with him. We may not see his hand; the events of our lives may look like mere circumstance, even like difficulty and misfortune. But God is at work in them, positioning us for purposes we cannot yet see. When your life seems governed by mere circumstance, or even by troubling events beyond your control, remember Esther, and trust that God may be at work behind the scenes, positioning you for purposes not yet clear. His hand is often hidden, but it is at work; trust the God who was quietly positioning Esther, even when you cannot see what he is doing in the ordinary and difficult events of your life.

Lord, the book of Esther begins in the ordinary, even troubling, workings of a pagan court, as a young Jewish orphan is swept into the king's palace; there is nothing obviously holy about it, yet, unseen, you were at work, positioning Esther for a deliverance no one could foresee. Show me how you often work this way in my own life: hidden, behind the scenes, in ordinary and even troubling circumstances that seem to have nothing to do with you. I may not see your hand; the events of my life may look like mere circumstance, even like difficulty and misfortune. But you are at work in them, positioning me for purposes I cannot yet see. When my life seems governed by mere circumstance, or even by troubling events beyond my control, help me remember Esther, and trust that you may be at work behind the scenes, positioning me for purposes not yet clear. Your hand is often hidden, but it is at work; help me trust you, who quietly positioned Esther, even when I cannot see what you are doing.