God Is Also Working in the Ordinary Moments
Last week, I was watching a series from Life.Church about Queen Esther.
I’ve heard the story of Esther many times before. On the surface, it almost sounds like a fairy tale — an orphan girl became a queen, a bad guy wanted to destroy her people, and in the end, good won over evil.
But this time, the story struck me differently.
One interesting thing about the Book of Esther is that God is never directly mentioned. There was no burning bush, no voice from heaven, no dramatic miracle and no moment where it says, “God spoke to Esther.”
And yet, when you look at the whole story, you can see God’s providence everywhere.
In ordinary moments.
At the right place.
At the right time.
Esther was a Jewish orphan who was raised by her cousin Mordecai. When Queen Vashti refused the king’s command, a search began for a new queen.
Esther was taken into the palace. It wasn’t something she had planned for herself. She went through months of preparation before being presented to the king, and eventually, the king chose Esther to become queen.
Then there was Mordecai.
One day, Mordecai overheard a plot to assassinate the king. He told Esther, Esther informed the king, and the plot was stopped.
Mordecai had basically helped save the king’s life.
But nothing happened.
No celebration. No immediate reward.
His good deed was simply recorded, and life continued.
Meanwhile, Esther was living comfortably in the palace. Perhaps she could have thought, This is my reward. I made it. I am safe here.
Then Haman came into the picture.
Haman was powerful and proud, and he expected people to bow down to him. Mordecai refused, and Haman became so angry that he plotted not only against Mordecai, but against all the Jewish people.
Suddenly, Esther’s position as queen had a much bigger purpose.
Mordecai challenged her with the famous words:
“And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” — Esther 4:14
Esther could not simply walk into the king’s presence whenever she wanted. Doing so without being summoned could cost her life.
So before she acted, she asked her people to fast for her.
Then another seemingly ordinary moment happened.
The king couldn’t sleep.
That’s it.
He simply couldn’t sleep one night.
So he asked for the official records to be read to him. And somehow, on that particular night, the record about Mordecai saving the king’s life was read.
The king realised that Mordecai had never been rewarded.
Then Haman happened to arrive.
The king asked him what should be done for someone the king wanted to honour. Haman, thinking the king was talking about him, suggested an elaborate public honour.
Instead, the king told Haman to do all of those things for Mordecai.
I smiled when I heard this part again.
See how God can turn the table around.
The good deed Mordecai had done earlier was not forgotten. The reward didn’t come immediately, but it came at exactly the right moment.
Eventually, Esther found the courage and opportunity to speak to the king, Haman’s plan was exposed, and the Jewish people were saved.
And this is what stayed with me after watching the series:
Sometimes miracles don’t happen in big, dramatic moments. Sometimes they happen quietly through God’s providence in ordinary moments.
A sleepless night.
A forgotten good deed.
A conversation overheard at the right time.
An orphan girl who somehow became queen.
A position that seemed like a reward but turned out to be a calling.
It also reminded me to continue doing what is right, even when nobody notices.
Not every good deed will be recognised immediately. Sometimes there is no thank you, no reward and no acknowledgement.
But God sees.
And perhaps what seems forgotten today is simply being kept for the right moment, the right place and the right purpose.
There are also many times in life when we may wonder, Where is God in all of this?
Maybe we are waiting for something obvious — a big sign, a clear answer or a miracle.
But the story of Esther reminds me that God can also be working quietly behind the scenes, putting people, timing, circumstances and opportunities together in ways we cannot see yet.
It reminds me of Romans 8:28:
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Sometimes we only understand His providence when we look back and realise:
Ah… so that’s why it happened that way.
And maybe some things happening in our lives right now will only make sense later.
For now, we keep doing what is right, stay faithful in the ordinary moments, and trust that God sees the bigger picture.
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