After finishing the Book of James, I let the students give input as to what book to cover for chapel. So...here we are in the Book of Esther. As I have been reading the book over, the theme of power reappears again and again. King Xerxes, Queen Vashti, and Haman all want to exert their power. It will be great to go verse by verse through this book with our students because much of junior high is about power too. Junior highers want power over their friends, their situations, their choices, and their families. They want the power to listen to their own music. They want the power to choose their activities. They want the power to control their lives. But sometimes in life it doesn't seem like anyone is in control. We can't understand why certain things happen, and they don't seem to make sense to us.
The interesting thing about Esther is that it is the only book of the Bible that does not mention God or prayer or faith. So, in a sense, God is out of the picture in Esther. He does not outwardly show Himself to anyone. And that sort of feels like real life sometimes. We don't hear His audible voice, hear from a prophet, or see a miraculous sign. But, that does not mean He is not there. It does not mean He is not control. It just means that without the eye of faith, we don't realize it.
By faith, we believe in God, and we know He is the One with the power. So, in order to be part of the power, we need to submit to the Lord. We need to step out and do what we know is right and allow God to use us. The best way to have power, is to give God the power in our lives. And that is what we are reminded of through Esther. Whether you realize it or not, God has the power, and the best we can do is courageously submit our lives to Him in doing the right thing whether it is scary, unpopular, or out of our comfort zone like Esther did.
