Not Name But Works

I have been thinking a lot lately about timing.  Timing was the subject of my last post, but I wanted to roll it around in my mind a bit more.  I have been studying the book of Esther.  I have read the entire book 3 times this week.  Now before you think this is some great feat, I'll let you in on a secret.  It's only 10 chapters, with the last chapter being only a few verses.  I have always heard that you never trust anyone for biblical information without looking it up yourself.  Almost anything can be considered biblically correct by using one verse from the Bible.  You need to read it in context to know the real idea in the Bible.  So on this note, I have always heard that the book of Esther does NOT contain the word 'God'.  WHAT!!!  A book in the Bible that does not contain the word 'God'?  Now I know many people already knew this.  But I decided to read the book for the sole purpose of looking for that word.  Or any other form of God's name.  I have completed Bible studies on the book of Esther, without looking specifically for His name.  Now after reading 3 different translations, Christian Standard, New International Standard and the New King James Version, I can confidently say the word 'God' does NOT appear in the book of Esther.  What does this have to do with timing you might ask.  Well, the book of Esther is filled with the timing of God.  God's hand and work are all over this book.  So much, that it doesn't even have to mention His name for the reader to understand it.  The timing of King Ahasuerus demanding that Vashti appear at his banquet and her refusal.  Would she have refused the week before or the week after?  The timing of Esther being the right age to be gathered to the palace with the other young ladies.  The timing of Haman's vengeance against Mordecai and the Jews.  Was Mordecai the only Jew in Susa to not give Haman the treatment he thought he deserved or did Mordecai's actions just rub him the wrong way?  We see the timing of Esther's fast and her appeal to the king.  By law, she could have been killed for approaching the king without being summoned.  However, through God's timing, we see that he holds out his golden scepter to her.  She is able to approach the king unharmed.  Then in chapter 7 we see that Esther's plea to the king has been heard.  King Ahasuerus walks away from Haman and Esther in anger.  While gone, Haman decides to plead his case with Queen Esther.  In verse  8 the king returns, only to find Haman falling onto Esther.  This does not bode well for Haman.  God's timing is everywhere in the book of Esther.  Can we look at our lives and see His timing?  We can if we are open to it.  I will never forget the time that I was a chaperone to a school music contest.  A bus full of kids waiting to get their scores back before we left.  The teacher saying that it never takes this long.  After finally getting the scores back, and leaving, we get caught up in a stand still traffic jam.  We see a medi-vac helicopter go over.  Ahead of us was a horrible wreck.  If we had left on time, would we have got caught up in that wreck?  We will never know for sure.  But I like to believe that God saved that bus full of students.  He wasn't finished with them yet.  God's timing is always perfect.

Timing

'For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:....'(Ecc. 3:1).  We think of life as a series of coincidences, and luck.  We just 'happen' to be in a certain place at a certain time.  That just happened to happen at that time.  What is it about timing that we are so uncomfortable about.  The Bible speaks a lot about timing.  'For such a time as this?' (Esther 4:14c).  God does not do coincidences.  God has a plan.  The Bible has many examples of this.  This morning I was reading the story of Abraham's servant bringing Rebekah home for Isaac.  As they were traveling, Isaac 'just happened' to be meditating in the field in the evening when the servant was bringing Rebekah home.  When he looked up, he saw her.  Now this might have been his regular practice, or he might have been waiting for them.  But, God timed it just right for the servant and Rebekah to be crossing the field at just that time.  I think we have lost the AWE of God and His plan.  We are so busy looking for answers that we don't see His power right in front of us.  The power of GOD'S TIME. 

Finding My Passion

Hobbies, passions, callings.  What do those even mean?  Recently while reading a book* about finding time for me, it asked what my passion was.  What got my heart to racing.  As my son put it, what makes me smile when it is mentioned.  After 20+ years of marriage and 18+ years of motherhood, I DON'T KNOW.  In previous blog posts under a different site, I have explored different 'hobbies'.  As I read through them, I realize that I never stay with anything too long.  I'm not sure if I loose interest or run out of time to finish the project and just never go back.  After years of being a chauffeur and biggest fan to basketball games, softball games, cross country meets, academic meets, student council projects, I'm not sure what my passion is apart from my kids.   After teaching in the same area for 20+ years, I LOVE my job, but I'm looking for a passion that is outside of school.  I'm looking for something that I can't wait to work on through the weekends.  Something that makes me manage my time better, so I  have an hour to work on it.  Something that makes my heart race and I want to tell someone.  As my son put it, something that makes me smile when it is mentioned.  My time of ballgames and school activities is not yet over and I don't want to wish those years away.  But I also want to find me. I guess it will be trial and error and my son has a few ideas.  I will  to try new things. My quest will continue to find my hobby, my passion, my calling. 


*The Fringe Hours  by Jessica N. Turner