Episode 184: June 9, 2024 - Life In Contrast

Eternity Church PodCast

A Sunday morning sermon by Pastor Brett Deal. “God moves in mysterious ways.” I’m guessing we’ve all heard that at one point. Most of the time that statement is made when we don’t understand things that are going on around us. Unfortunately, those words seem to be the extent of some people’s response to fraught times or complicated situations. Throughout the book of Esther, we see intrigues and conspiracies, cloak-and-dagger plotting and national upheavals. All in all, in a dog-eat-dog world like ancient Persia, it would be the perfect time to shrug our shoulders and flippantly say, “God moves in mysterious ways.” That is not, however, the response of Mordecai and Esther. As each layer of the schemes and dreams of man unfold, we find Mordecai and Esther repeatedly fasting and praying (Esther 4). They are painfully aware that God moves in mysterious ways, and this leads them to cry out to the Lord in prayer, fasting from food as they long to be sustained by His provision. This week as we prepare our hearts to dive again into the story, I would encourage you to do three things. First, take thirty minutes and read the whole book of Esther again, highlighting Esther’s life and responses. Second, join us at 6:30 PM this Thursday night (in person or on zoom) as we explore the intersection of prayer and the mystery of God. Third, if you’re able, dedicate a day to fast and pray for God’s people who are waiting for the mysterious movement of God in our world.