Here in chapter 2 of the book of Esther, we finally meet the title character. Her improbable story has all the hallmarks of a fairy tale: an orphan girl—raised in exile by a kindly and wise uncle—rises from poverty to become the queen of an empire. This is not a fanciful bedtime story though. Instead, it is an incredible witness to God’s hand of providence being worked out in the lives of His unlikely chosen ones. The hymns we sing this morning, along with the Scriptures we read, emphasize God’s intentional calling of His people and His provision for all our needs. We’ll hear from Romans 8 that “all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose,” and we’ll respond by singing, “Let us love the Lord who … called us by His grace” (Let Us Love And Sing And Wonder). The hymns O Lord Of Hosts How Lovely—Psalm 84, Great Is Thy Faithfulness, and My Shepherd Will Supply My Need—Psalm 23 all speak of God’s provision for even the smallest details of creation. Perhaps, as she was making her miraculous rise from orphan to queen, Esther might have reflected on and prayed through the words of Psalm 8, as we will during communion: “What is man that You are mindful and remember him, and the son of man that You will gently care for him?” —Henry C. Haffner
Key Words: Pleased, Taken, Chosen, Delighted, Favor, Loved, Grace
Keystone Verse: The king loved Esther more than all the women,
and she won grace and favor in his sight. (Esther 2:17)
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