When God Only Lets You See His Back

11-4-10
Esther 4-7
Lesson 3
"When God Only Lets You See His Back"

Do you ever feel like God is simply just not there? You simply cannot see Him in the everyday happenings and events of your life? Dear one, the book of Esther is for you. Though God's name is not found in any shape or form, He is within every line of the text. It is so important for us to know the attributes of our God and understand that even when we cannot see His face, we can catch a glimpse of His back, as He works His will within our lives.

Our video today by David Arthur, helped us to step back and look at the sovereignty of God in three areas of Esther.

1) God is sovereign over the timing of the events of this narrative. David showed us event after event and how each one was like a domino to the next, causing God's ultimate purpose to unfold. Though through our human eyes, we would discern God as being late or absent in the story. Even the delay of Mordecai's reward in chapter two, ultimately glorified God and His story. Do you ever feel forgotten for some great work you did? Remember Joseph in the prison? He interpreted the dreams of both the baker and the cupbearer, but he would not be remembered nor rewarded for years. It was to be in God's timing and for His purposes to save the nation of Israel.

2) God is sovereign over the minds and hearts of mankind. We saw repeated words like, favor, kindness, grace, mercy, best, and beautiful. All words used in Esther to describe favor from one man or woman to another man or woman. We know God stirred the heart of King Cyrus to let Israel return home in 536BC. God also stirred the hearts of the people to return home and rebuild the temple, and He stirred the heart of Nehemiah to rebuild the wall. God is sovereign over even pagan king's hearts, and He turns it like a ship's rudder to do His Will. It says in Proverbs 21:1 "The king's heart is like channels of water in the hands of God; He turns it wherever He wishes." So, do you have some issue with another person, and you somehow believe that God has no control over it because this person is an unbeliever? Oh dear one, He has them and the situation in His hands. Pray specifically like Nehemiah did to give you success and compassion before this man.

3) God is sovereign over exalting and humbling men. God took one of the most powerful kings of the world, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and caused him to eat grass like a cow and have dreams of the future. It says in Daniel 4:32, "You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes." Until he did what? Recognized that there is a God in heaven, and that He is the Most High God. Did God humble the proud Haman? Oh yes, irony played out as He escorted Mordecai through the city like a king, and as He was hung on the very gallows he had built for Mordecai. Pride leads us to all sorts of sins. In Haman's case, it caused him to HATE Mordecai for not bowing, not standing, not trembling before him. Haman's Hatred Had Him Hung!

So, in your life story, when it seems that God is not written within the pages of your life, step back and know that He is sovereign over the timing of all the events in your life, He is sovereign over the hearts of all men, and He is sovereign over both exalting and humbling both us and others. There is an old song that says, "When you can't trace His hand, trust His heart.." So today, "Be still (rapha, relax your hands, let go), and know (yada, to know Him by experience), that He is God!" Ps 46:10 He's in the everyday events of your life, even when He only lets you see His back!

Rapha and Yada, Yada, Yada Him,

Sheila