Tuesday, February 25, 2014

The Book Without a Name, any Name

I read the book, front to finish, and never once found His name.  He wasn't El Shaddai, LORD, Jehovah, Yahweh, or God.  He simply wasn't found on the pages.  How, odd, since this was Esther I was reading, a book of the Bible.

It was refreshing.

I know that sounds cruel and anti-God-loving.  But, I am neither.

To the untrained eye, He is absent all throughout the book of Esther.  We see no mention of His Holy name.  Out of the thousand beautiful names He has, not a single one graces the pages of that Holy Book.  There is no mention of the Book of the Law or anything else that would obviously point us to His fame.

To the untrained eye, God is absent in the book of Esther.

But, to the one whom He has given sight, He is everywhere.  He is with Esther as a young orphan, giving her a caring cousin to care for her as she grows up. 

He is with Mordecai as he is at the right place at the right time, overhearing the plot to kill the King. 

He is with Esther as she receives favor from all she comes into contact with...eventually putting her in front of the King himself so that she might become his beloved Queen.

He is with the King the night he can't sleep, moving his thoughts towards Mordecai and how he might best reward him for saving his life.

He is with every single Jew as they tremble with thoughts of demise, wondering how they will protect their young children from this hate crime about to take place.

He is with Esther as she boldly approaches the throne for the life of her people, knowing that her death should be the consequence of such an action.

He is ever present.  Always working on behalf of his children.

Always working even when it seems His very Name has been stripped from the pages.

It is refreshing.

I look into so many personal, cultural and worldly issues and wonder where His name is.  I see pictures of aborted babies, witness the heartache of the Ukrainian people, and cover the eyes of my boys as they watch TV that has become anti-family.  I sob, wondering if He is going to show up in these areas.

I refuse to believe He is inactive, cruel, or aloof.

I think it is the opposite. 

His Name is sometimes too beautiful and powerful to be put to paper.  It doesn't negate the work that He is constantly doing. 

He is always working for the good.

For you.  For me.

Always working for the good.

{refreshing}

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

WOW!! What a great word and reminder that God is always at work in our lives. Love your insight into the things of God. I know it comes from God Himself.
Barb

Unknown said...

I followed your blog as a fellow 31 dayer, and still two months later I can't get enough. Love it. And this post- this right here,
"I refuse to believe He is inactive, cruel, or aloof.
I think it is the opposite.
His Name is sometimes too beautiful and powerful to be put to paper. It doesn't negate the work that He is constantly doing.
He is always working for the good." spoke straight to my soul tonight. Even the moments when it feels as if Christ has been stripped straight out of Christmas, He is working. He is here. He is with us. And He is good. All the time.
Thank you for this post, though I'm reading it almost a year after you posted it.