Saturday morning Bible Study

Aug. 5, 2006 - Saturday morning Bible Study ...
The new Adventure Church Saturday morning Bible study has required sacrifice! I mean, who wants to get up at 6 on Saturday morning and get the day started so that I can be at the library at 9 for Bible Study. It's one of the rare times when Randy is usually home later than 7:30. BUT ... after 5 LONG weeks discussing and working through The Secret of the Lord by Dannah Gresh (great book ... deep themes of transparency and the common thread we share in God's mercy and grace) we have moved on to the book of Esther! I love this story in the Old Testament. The picture of God's hand in every event reminds me that we just can't see the whole picture when we're standing in the middle of it! And yet, even when we see disobedience, discord, grumbling, dishonesty ... and even outright sin, God is still sovereign! He still wants what's best for us. The character of our God never changes! What a comfort that is to be reminded!

We finished the first two chapters today ... Xerxes has his party, Vashti refuses to be paraded infront of the drunken crowd, she's exiled ... mostly because the guys are all afraid that the gals are going to rebel because Vashti did! Even early in the Old Testament God was reminding us that the men in our lives need respect (the consequence of holding out can be dire). I'm not suggesting that Vashti was wrong to not go when called to the palace, but the consequence for her was harsh!

Then comes the search for all the virgins in the land ... how do you think they gathered them?? Cinderella style ... door to door? Or maybe Holy Grail style ... "Bring out your virgins ... bring out your virgins"?? Wonder how you or I would have felt during that time to be called to the palace under such circumstances? It was a difficult reality of the day that women were property ... property with influence, but property nonetheless!

Finally, it becomes clear that Esther is taken in by Hagai and shown favor. She impresses all she come in contact with and then is chosen by the king himself. It becomes clear early on that whatever purpose God has for her life will be accomplished.

The journaling entry for the end of chapter 2 was to ask God to show you a thread of how God has had his hand in an event you've recently been threw. I believe this is a wonderful exercise and would encourage you to do that. I'll be praying on that during the coming week as well.