25 Woods Lake Road, Building 8, Greenville, SC
On the very day that Haman had planned the destruction of the Jews, the tables were turned and the Jews gained victory over their enemies. In much the same way, Satan plotted and planned the destruction of the Son of God, and all hell celebrated when He hung dying on the cross. But on that very day, the tables were turned and Christ triumphed over His enemies, bringing salvation to all who believe in Him.
Whenever Satan rules a city, or a family, or a heart… it is always filled with darkness, sorrow, brokenness and despair. But the moment God steps in, it is transformed into light and joy and wholeness and hope! God takes our ruins and restores them; He takes our rags and clothes us in His robes of righteousness. Have you ever experienced this amazing transformation in your life?
The king turns his favor toward Mordecai and Esther, and evil Haman is hanged on his own gallows. But was it really Esther’s cleverness that brought all this about? No, once again we see that God was lining these events up long before Esther spoke a single word. And the same is true in our lives. Even when God seems absent, He is actually at work behind the scenes, moving in ways we cannot see, and in this we take great comfort!
As you go through the mundane events of your daily life, are you aware that the providence of God is at work in you and around you in every circumstance, encounter and decision? God is working for you, or in spite of you, to bring about His ultimate will so that He may be glorified, and so that you will be conformed into the image of His Son. You can find rest in knowing that regardless of what you are going through, God is in control of it all.
It’s easy to “say” we would follow God anywhere, but it’s a whole different story when He actually calls us to step out into the complete unknown and follow Him by faith without having a clue how things are going to turn out. Doing so requires us to relinquish control of our lives and trust that whatever God brings about is ultimately best. Are you willing to trust God that way?
In a world of more than 7 billion people, it is easy to feel that your life has no significance to God. But as we look through the Bible, we do not see God using hundreds or thousands of people to bring about His plans. Instead, we see Him using individual men and women. God is still looking for just one willing person to stand up and say, “God, I choose to be identified with you. Please use my life for your glory.” Will you be that one?
When you’re faithfully living for God but still facing hardships, it can be disheartening to see evil people prospering all around you, seemingly untouched by adversity. In those moments, it’s easy to feel forgotten by God. But take heart—God has not abandoned you. Even when it seems like evil is winning, remember that God is always at work behind the scenes. One day, He will bring justice and make all things right. Hold on to that hope, knowing that your faithfulness will not go unrewarded.
Most people have only heard the Sunday School version of Esther, where she is described in almost perfect, fairy tale terms. But Esther’s life was far from perfect. Like all of us, she started out struggling, learning and growing in her faith. In time, God took that imperfect young girl and used her in great ways. And in that story, we all find the story of our own lives, and we can thank God that He still uses imperfect people like us!
King Ahasuerus was once the most powerful man on earth. He threw a party for six months to proudly display the vastness of his kingdom and wealth. But where is this great man now? He is dead and gone. Yet 2,500 years later, our God still sits enthroned in heaven, unmoved and unshaken by all the so-called great leaders who have come and gone. Don’t be impressed by earthly power. Put your trust in God alone!
It is amazing to see how a skilled artist can take broken pieces of glass and carefully assemble them into a stained glass window to create a beautiful work of art. This reminds us how we were once broken and shattered by sin, but Jesus restored us into something beautiful by His grace, and now our lives can reflect His glory!
We all spend our lives searching for many things, and what we don’t realize is, our deepest search is a craving for what was lost in the fall of man. But that missing piece can only be found in one place, and that is in Christ. While the world can satisfy our longings for a short while, only Christ can give us the grace, love and peace we so desperately need. Has your search led you to Christ?
Do you trust God? The real answer to that question is found, not in what you say, but in how much of your life you are still trying to control. This is actually a symptom of pride, because you are telling God you can handle things without Him. God asks us to place our lives under His control, and trust in His wisdom instead of our own. When we do, we will begin living the way He designed us to live, and we will be the recipients of His promised care.
