A pattern to the chaos

Chaotic. Random. Sporadic. Constantly shifting and changing. That's how the events of life seem. Random. Without reason. It all seems like a jumbled mess. Like a pile of puzzle pieces yet to be put in place. Like random lines drawn on a canvas. None of it makes any sense. What's the purpose and point to it all? Where is the rhyme and reason to it? Is there a method to the madness? Or is it just madness and chaos?

That's kind of how I feel about life right now. All these seemingly random events occurring, and nothing really lining up. It's a jumbled mess. I see all the puzzle pieces and I know they fit together some how. Some are already in place. But what about the rest of the pieces? Where do they fit?

I wonder if this is how Ester felt. She, who was just a lowly Jewish orphan, through a seemingly random set of events, somehow finds herself the queen of the entire Persian empire. An empire that extended from India all the way to Egypt. How could this be? What purpose did this serve? What was God hoping to accomplish in all of this?

As the story unfolds, Mordecai, Ester's cousin who had adopted her after her parents had died, uncovers and foils a plot to assassinate the king of Persia. He, however, receives no recognition for his actions, though this event is recorded in the king's chronicles. Another seemingly random event. How does this tie into the story?

Then, things take a turn for the worse. Haman, an arrogant, high ranking noble official, hashes a plot to exterminate all the Jews after Mordecai refuses to pay him honor. Not satisfied with simply killing Mordecai, Haman spins a lie to king regarding the Jews in an effort to pass a decree that would effectively wipe the Jews from the face of the earth. The decree is made, and sent out to all the provinces, causing great distress amongst the Jews. Mordecai urges queen Ester to beg and plead with the king for mercy. This is no easy task, for if anyone was to approach the king without being summoned was to be put to death, unless the king should extend his gold scepter, sparing the person's life. But at the end of verse 14 in chapter four Mordecai says this to Ester, "And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"

Ah, so now we begin to see some purpose to these events. Now the puzzle pieces seem to fall into place. God, in His sovereignty, foreknew of Haman's evil plan and orchestrated events so that a Jew could be in a position of power for such a time as that. After three days of fasting and praying, Ester disobeys the law and approaches the king who, by the grace of God, extends his golden scepter, sparing her life. When the king asks her what she wants, she requests that the king and Haman attend a banquet she prepared. She then invites the king and Haman to come back again the next day for another banquet where she would give the king a straight answer as to her request and petition, for the king had asked her once again what she wanted. Afterwords, as Haman is on his way home, he becomes enraged when he passes by Mordecai, who still refuses to pay him honor. After consulting with his wife and friends, he has a 75 foot gallows built upon which he plans to hang Mordecai the next morning. That same night, the king could not sleep. So he has the chronicles regarding his reign read to him, and low and behold the record of Mordecai's actions regarding the attempted assassination of the king is read. When the king learns that nothing had been done to honor Mordecai because of this, he asks who is present in the court. Uncoincidentally, Haman had just arrived on the scene on his mission to dispose of Mordecai. Haman is called into see the king where he is asked by the king, "What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?"

In his arrogance, Haman gives an elaborate response of how he would wish to be honored, thinking that the king is referring to him. But to Haman's great astonishment, the king orders him to do the very things he wants to have done to himself, to Mordecai instead. What an amazing turn of events! Haman, who was once greatly honored, is now greatly humbled by exalting Mordecai, a man of humility. To make matters worse, at home, Haman's wife and friends give him an ominous warning that he was soon to come to ruin. No sooner had these words begun to sink in when Haman is taken away to the banquet that Ester had prepared. At the banquet the king asks Ester for a third time what she wants. She replies by asking for her life and the lives of her people to be spared from the genocide that was to take place. When the king asks who would dare do such a thing, she points a finger of accusation at Haman, the other guest at the banquet. Enraged, the king storms out of the room and goes to the palace gardens. Haman, who is utterly terrified, stays behind to beg for his life; a foolish mistake as only the king could be left alone with a woman of royalty. As he falls upon the couch were Ester is laying, the king returns. Haman's face is immediately covered, and at the kings command, Haman is sent to be hanged on the very gallows that were erected for Mordecai's execution. The king then decrees a new edict on behalf of the Jews, allowing them vengeance upon those who wished to harm them on the predetermined date Haman had set for their extermination, and raises Mordecai to second in command over all his kingdom. And there was much rejoicing.

Now I'm sure you are wondering how the story of Ester relates to our crazy, random, chaotic, ever changing lives. Simply put, the randomness of our lives may not be as random as we think. Given enough time, the puzzle pieces start to come together to form a beautiful picture. Given enough time, the random lines on the canvas become a wonderful masterpiece. Given enough time, the seemingly disjointed events in our lives start to make sense and are given meaning and purpose. There is a rhyme and reason to it all. A pattern to the chaos. For it is God who is at work behind the scenes in our lives, directing and orchestrating events according to his perfect will and plan. A wonderful plan to prosper us and not to harm us, to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). To those who love Him and are called according to His purposes, all things are worked for the good (Romans 8:28). Good not as we see it, but as God sees it. In this, I take comfort. In this, I find hope. I may not know where God is leading me, or what my future holds. I may not know why events happen as they do, or if I will ever discover their true purpose. But I know that God is in control. That He is at work behind it all. I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds tomorrow, and I know who holds my hand.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I Know Who Holds Tomorrow ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
by Ira Stanphill

I don't know about tomorrow;

I just live from day to day.

I don't borrow from its sunshine

For its skies may turn to grey.

I don't worry o'er the future,

For I know what Jesus said.

And today I'll walk beside Him,

For He knows what is ahead.

Many things about tomorrow

I don't seem to understand

But I know who holds tomorrow

And I know who holds my hand.

Every step is getting brighter

As the golden stairs I climb;

Every burden's getting lighter,

Every cloud is silver-lined.

There the sun is always shining,

There no tear will dim the eye;

At the ending of the rainbow

Where the mountains touch the sky.

Many things about tomorrow

I don't seem to understand

But I know who holds tomorrow

And I know who holds my hand.

I don't know about tomorrow;

It may bring me poverty.

But the one who feeds the sparrow,

Is the one who stands by me.

And the path that is my portion

May be through the flame or flood;

But His presence goes before me

And I'm covered with His blood.

Many things about tomorrow

I don't seem to understand

But I know who holds tomorrow

And I know who holds my hand.