Day 143

Mar 23: Esther 1-10
When I finished reading Esther again today, all I could think about was God's unfathomable strategy for her and Mordecai. I want to give a quick summary in list form to show how many events there were:

1. King Xerxes is displeased with Queen Vashti for not showing up to a banquet when asked.
2. Queen Vashti is removed as queen.
3. Esther is made the new queen as King Xerxes was attracted to her God given beauty.
4. Mordecai uncovers a conspiracy and saves King Xerxes's life from his two guards.
   
5. Haman, King's right hand man, plots to destroy the Jews and tricks the King into allowing him to create a law to kill all Jews.
6. Mordecai asks Esther to help save their people.
7. Esther, Mordecai and all the Jews in Susa fast for 3 days.
8. Esther requests a banquet with just the king and Haman.
9. Haman sees Mordecai going home one day and is filled with rage. His family and friends tell him to build a gallows and to ask the king in the morning to have him hung on it.
10. That night, the king can't sleep, so he has the book of chronicles read to him. He sees that Mordecai saved his life (see 4) and decides to honor him.
11. Haman is exploited by Esther during the banquet and is ordered to be hung by the king.
    
12. A new law is created to allow Jews to defend themselves from the first law created by Haman.

All these events basically sum up the story of Esther and Mordecai and it shows how God is in complete control the whole way to save his people. Each event is necessary for the final result and God's design in all of it is perfect.
When I look back on certain times in my life, I'm able to see God's hand controlling it as well. During the hard times, it's difficult to understand that God is in control, but inevitably looking back, it's so blatantly obvious. Every event is just another piece of the puzzle that God is maneuvering and designing. I hope that these past experiences will allow me to trust in God in the present time without worrying or having doubts. I'll worry about what's going on now and continue to seek guidance and direction through the Spirit and have faith that God will provide in the end.