February, 2003

It is reassuring to know in this world of sin and violence that God is all powerful. Recently in a sermon by Tim Carlson, the message was that God has an overall plan. The example that he used was how God saved the Hebrew people through the Queen Esther. The Book of Esther in the Bible has the distinction of being the only book in the Bible that does not mention God.

The book Esther by Charles Swindoll features His name. It is the second book in the series "Great Lives From The Bible". Esther is a fascinating story and Swindoll tells it well. He explains how God's plan to save His people was carried out through this beautiful woman who didn't even aspire to be queen. We discover how the brave confrontation with her king changed the course of Hebrew history. We learn how her grace, faith and courage showed her to be a woman of God.

Swindeoll interweaves this ancient real-life story withinsight on how the virtues and qualities of Queen Esther can be ours so that we can live a life that God considers great. Many people have suggested that the Book of Esther has all of the ingredients to make a great movie. The book Esther by Swindoll makes it personal. I like the title of the last chapter, "Celebrate, In The End God Wins".

We also have the audio tape of this book in the church library.