Esther 8:15-17a

15 When Mordecai left the king’s presence, he was wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration. 16 For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor. 17 In every province and in every city, wherever the edict of the King went, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating.

All throughout the Book of Esther, people have been threatening the very existence of the Jews; due to the wicked machinations of one of the king’s advisors, the Jews were going to be eradicated by political edict. But Queen Esther, a Jew herself, stepped in for them, at Mordecai’s urging. She talked with King Xerxes about getting the discriminatory edict revoked, and reminds the king that Mordecai was the one who stopped an assassination plot against him.

Now King Xerxes is content to overrule the terrible law, and the day is saved; Mordecai leaves the palace robed in royal colors (blue, white, gold, and purple), and the people rejoice. God had truly come through for them, providing for His people amid political intrigue, subterfuge, and threats; even when the enemy believed he had organized the perfect plot, strange (divinely arranged) circumstances unraveled it right before his eyes.

We Can Experience This Same Joy

When God comes through for us, we too can feel as if we’re in a royal procession of joy and relief. But unfortunately, many times we get bogged down in praying for help or good news, and we never remember to thank God for answered prayers. We need to remember to celebrate every time we experience a triumph like this.

Don’t think God still does this kind of thing? I know differently. Every time we arrive at our destination safely, that’s a triumph. Every time we get good news from a medical test, that’s a triumph, too. Every time we wake up in the morning, that’s even a triumph (even if it doesn’t feel like it, especially on a Monday, LOL). Knowing the story of the Israelites in the Book of Esther reminds us that God hasn’t stopped doing miracles.

God is always with us, always our staunchest ally, always working to resolve situations in the best possible way, even if it doesn’t look like God is anywhere near the problem. Even in the darkest of times for their people, Mordecai and Esther knew God was with them; we need to know it, too!