Ordinary Providence

Where you’re at in life right now may be feeling a little monotonous. You wake up, you go to 1st period, 2nd period, 3rd period, lunch, and some more school until it’s time for practice and then you go home to sleep and do it all over again. Maybe you’ve lost your excitement and interest in the ordinary daily life you’re living and you’re hoping for something a little more incredible to come around.

When I was your age, the big preachers in the revivalistic meetings that I was in always talked about living by faith and doing big things for God, which often included some pretty outlandish things. The danger of that, however, is that it caused many younger Christians, particularly the “preacher boys,” to think that the daily life they were living was purposeless and was just getting them by until it was time for the big things.

That’s not how I want you to feel today. Instead, as we look at Esther 6 together, I want us to be reminded that God is actively working in your daily life, no matter how repetitive you think it is. Today, I want us to consider God’s ordinary providence in our lives. The first thing I want us to learn as we look at our text for this evening is that:

God Works in the Little Things.

In Esther 6:1, we read:

Esther 6:1 NKJV

1 That night the king could not sleep. So one was commanded to bring the book of the records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.

Now, without reading any further, this sounds pretty typical, right? I mean, it’s an ancient account of a king who had insomnia and needed a bedtime story. But if we aren’t careful, we will read right over this without seeing how amazing this whole event is. You see, that one night of sleeplessness is the catalyst that saved the lives of millions of Jews. One thing that we can’t deny in this chapter is that it is filled with small and ordinary events. First, the king can’t sleep. Second, they choose a book to read. Then, they opened it to a specific passage which happens to discuss Mordecai’s loyalty, and finally Haman, Mordecai’s enemy, pops on the scene.

If we are reading this as people just trying to read a chapter, we won’t think anything about this. But if we’re reading this as people who are thinking, “God is active in ordinary life,” then His hand is undeniable here.

The framers of the 2nd London Baptist Confession put it perfectly when they said,

From all eternity God decreed everything that occurs, without reference to anything outside himself.1  He did this by the perfectly wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably. Yet God did this in such a way that he is neither the author of sin nor has fellowship with any in their sin.2  This decree does not violate the will of the creature or take away the free working or contingency of second causes. On the contrary, these are established by God’s decree.3  In this decree God’s wisdom is displayed in directing all things, and his power and faithfulness are demonstrated in accomplishing his decree.4

In essence, they’re teaching us that God ordered everything that has happened, is happening, and will happen. One of my professors regularly says, “God isn’t some absent landlord.” He is involved in the daily life that you live and he’s working through those small and seemingly insignificant conversations and tasks that fill your daily life.

*Ragan and me*

The second thing that I want us to learn from this passage is that this sovereign God will exalt in due time and will right all wrongs. Or, we could say that:

2. God Sees Your Faithfulness

The major turning point here is that Mordecai’s earlier faithfulness has been remembered. If you recall, earlier in the book, Mordecai over hears men discussing a plot against the King and he reports them and saves the King’s life. Well, apparently Mordecai never got the proper thanks he deserved. But instead of flaunting his good works, or mumbling about how he should’ve been appreciated, Mordecai simply goes back to doing right.

As you know, Mordecai is now in a pickle. He refused to bow to Haman and now Haman has made a political move which will not only kill Mordecai, but all of Mordecai’s people. As the King is being reminded of Mordecai’s faithfulness, here comes Haman. Well, Haman is so self-centered that when the king asks him, “Hey Haman, if there was a guy that I loved, what would you recommend I do for him?” And man, when he hears this, Haman starts day dreaming about how cool he’s going to feel when he gets celebrated publicly. But what he doesn’t know is that the king isn’t talking about him, he’s talking about his arch-nemesis, Mordecai.

Instead of being exalted, Haman is now publicly exalting the man he can’t stand. Now, next week I’m hoping to spend more time on the subject of pride and it’s dangers. But for now, I want us to see that when we feel like our faithfulness is never recognized, you need to remember that God sees you. Psalm 75:6-7

Psalm 75:6–7 NKJV

6 For exaltation comes neither from the east Nor from the west nor from the south. 7 But God is the Judge: He puts down one, And exalts another.

1 Peter 5:6 NKJV

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

What I can’t promise you is that God is going to make your biggest enemy drive you around in the next Christmas parade to tell everyone that you’re awesome. But what I can tell you is that you’ll never go wrong doing right and one day, when God comes to make all things right, you will be vindicated before the whole world. Yes, there are times when you’ll be celebrated and honored in this life, but even if that doesn’t happen, we can smile knowing that God will set the record straight in the end.

Is this not what He did with the Lord? Jesus was born into a world of “small things.” He wasn’t rich or powerful by the worlds standards. He only ever did what was perfectly right, and they killed Him for it. But listen to what Peter says at Pentecost:

Acts 2:22–36 NKJV

22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— 23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. 25 For David says concerning Him: ‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. 27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’ 29 “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. 34 “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, 35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’ 36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

Pastoral Application

Do not despise small faithfulnesses. God uses sleepless nights and forgotten deeds.

Do not fret over delayed justice. The books will be opened.

Do not grasp at honor. Providence exalts whom God wills, when He wills.

Rest. The same God who ruled Esther 6 governs your Tuesday afternoon.