God of the Humdrum

If you casually read the book of Esther you may come away saying, “Where is God?” Commentators always point out that God is not mentioned one time in the book. The Hebrews struggled with accepting it as scripture for this very reason. Even so, you can’t miss the fact that God is at work protecting his covenant people in the midst of exile.

It is so easy to take God’s providence for granite when we can't see him explicitly in our everyday experiences. Sure, there are those sensational moments when God’s hand is evident. However, most of our moments are ordinary and humdrum. If we live most of our lives in the routine, it would be wise to notice where and how God is working in those moments.

In the book of Esther, a ruling goes out from the king for all the Jews to be killed. Extermination is going to take place. Before this ordinance went forth, God was already putting Esther in place to save the Jewish people.

What can the book of Esther teach us about seeing God in the humdrum?

1. We need to know God orchestrates our circumstances. Mordecai said to Esther, “And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). He was seeing her position as queen as a product of providence. God put her in a position to be used by him. Each day, we should see how God is orchestrating our routines so that he can use us to fulfill his purpose.

2. We need to know God is always faithful to his people. Mordecai recognized this truth, “For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place” (Esther 4:14). Mordecai knew that God would be faithful to his people, if not through Esther, then someone else.

3. We need to trust God with our lives because he holds the future. Esther agreed to her uncle’s challenge, recognizing that it could cost her life. She entrusted her life to the grace of God.

4. We need to seize every moment in our lives, spectacular and humdrum, for the glory of God. Each day is a day where God is at work, and we need to realize that he has placed us here “for such a time as this.” May God use us today! Maybe today is the day we can share our story and report to people how the Lord has shown us mercy.