God works in both the miraculous and the ordinary.

Esther: 9:22-25

Mordecai wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor. So the Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun, doing what Mordecai had written to them. For Haman…the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the ‘pur’ (that is, the lot) for their ruin and destruction. But when the plot came to the king’s attention, he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head.

Esther’s from the time when the bigger story of the Old Testament was drawing to its close and climax – the coming of Jesus. Every year, just one month before the Passover festival, Jewish boys and girls look forward to being invited to a party that feels a lot like our Christmas – there’s presents, partying, and a general good time. They call the party “Purim” – a name that conjures up thoughts of a game of chance, of rolling the dice. In the midst of the party Esther’s story is told, often acted out by the children. It’s a story about God rescuing the Jews through ordinary events, the same God who at the first Passover rescued Israel using huge miracles. The Jewish Passover (Exodus) opens the Jewish year and the Purim Festival (Esther) closes it. Passover celebrates God acting to save Israel using huge miracles, Purim celebrates God acting to save the Jews through ordinary events. God works in both the miraculous and the ordinary (and it seems more often in the ordinary). As Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him…” The rescuing God, who in the greatest miracle raised Jesus from the dead, is at work in the ordinary events of your life.

Head: Will you make it your expectation in the ordinary events of life “that in all things God works for the good of those who love him…”?

Heart: Ask God to enable your heart to rejoice that God is good – that God uses all the events in your life so you would come to know him, learn to live as Jesus’ person, and finally rejoice with him forever and ever.

Hands: Instead of your actions being weighed down by seeing your life as a run of ‘good’ or ‘bad luck’, allow your actions to be motivated by the awareness “that in all things God works for the good of those who love him…”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please enable my heart to rejoice in you as the good God. Help my heart to see that you are using all the events in my life so I would come to know you, learn to live as Jesus’ person, and finally rejoice with you forever and ever. Help me to not simply see my life as a run of ‘good’ or ‘bad luck’. I ask that today my actions will be motivated by the awareness “that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” In Jesus’ Name. Amen.  

A Song to Listen to: Rejoice

Phil Strong

This Grow Daily was originally posted as part of the Must See Passages series in 2016. During the School Holidays we take the opportunity to look back at the best of Grow Dailys over the years.