Monday September 14th, 2020
Memorize: 1 Corinthians 1:26-27
« 26 Brothers and sisters, God chose you to be His. Think about that! Not many of you were wise in the way the world judges wisdom. Not many of you had great influence, and not many of you came from important families. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. He chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. »
Read: Esther 2:8; Esther 10-11
King Xerxes had ordered the officials in his empire to find the most beautiful women in the country and bring them to his palace in the city of Susa. Esther was one of the chosen women.
She was brought to the royal palace where she and the other women were given pretty clothes to look good for the king. Meanwhile, Mordecai, a cousin who had adopted her, advised her not to tell anyone that she was Jewish.
Everyone admired Esther, and when the time came for her to be presented to the king, he liked her more than any of the other women. He fell in love with her! He put a royal crown on her head and made her queen in Vashti’s place. The king gave a great banquet to honor Esther, declared a holiday and handed out gifts.
Can God use me for great things if I am just ‘ordinary’?
Esther grew up as an ordinary child. In fact, her people had been brought to Babylon as slaves—and she was an orphan.
God often uses ordinary people rather than great people whose hearts are filled with pride. Jesus said, “For Everyone who makes himself great will be made humble. But everyone who makes himself humble will be made great” (Luke 18:14). Do you remember how God used ordinary people like Joseph, Gideon, David, and Daniel to do great things for Him?
Esther may have thought about the message that Jeremiah had sent the people in Babylon: “because I know what I have planned for you,” says the LORD, “I have good plans for you. I don’t plan to hurt you. I plan to give you hope and a good future” (Jeremiah 29:11).
For years, life had been hard for Esther; yet God had blessed her and put her in a place where He could use her to bring hope and a future to His people.
Study questions:
1 -In your own words, explain in details today’s memory verse
2 – In your own words, explain “I know what I have planned for you,” says the Lord. “I have good plans for you. I don’t plan to hurt you. I plan to give you hope and a good future.’’
Author: Dave Strehler
Text edited by Naomie
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