Feeling Forgotten? God's Answer is on the Way - Esther 6
Pastor Dan Walker, PhD, MDiv
Sermon Introduction
Today, our message is entitled “Feeling Forgotten? God’s Answer Is on the Way”
In 1945 First Lieutenant Vernon Baker led a courageous assault against a heavily fortified German position in Italy. Facing overwhelming odds, he eliminated the enemy position and helped secure victory. His bravery was undeniable, but recognition never came. No parades, no medals, no acknowledgement. Others who had performed similar acts, who were not African American, were honored with the highest military distinction.
For over 50 years, Baker’s sacrifice remained overlooked, buried in history. But in 1997 a Department of Defense review uncovered decades of racial discrimination in Medal of Honor selections. Baker was finally awarded the nation’s highest military award, becoming the only living African American World War II veteran to receive it. Though the honor had been delayed, it had never been forgotten.
Have you ever felt as though you have been forgotten? You’ve done the right thing, served faithfully or waited on God, only to feel completely overlooked? Maybe you’ve worked hard at your job, but others keep getting promotions. Maybe you’ve poured yourself into your family, but no one seems to appreciate you. Maybe you’ve prayed and trusted God for a certain situation, but nothing seems to change.
In moments like these, it’s easy to wonder: Has God forgotten me?
God’s Word gives us a different perspective.
Galatians 6:9 (ESV) And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
The Bible warns us not to grow weary of doing good because if we grow weary, we may give up in doing good. But if we don’t grow weary, if we do not give up, the promise is that in due season, in God’s timing, we will reap a harvest from all the good seeds we have been planting.
Vernon Baker didn’t set out to be rewarded, he simply did what was right and one day the truth came to light. When you stay faithful, even when no one sees, God promises that your harvest will come at just the right time, not a moment too late.
The book of Esther gives us a striking example of this. In Esther 2, we learned that Mordecai had once saved the king’s life, yet years passed without recognition. While people may forget, God never does.
Hebrews 6:10 (ESV) For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.
Mordecai’s seemingly forgotten act would soon become the very thing that changed his destiny. God’s timing is perfect. When you trust Him, you don’t have to force your way into recognition.
Psalm 37:5–6 (ESV) Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.
Even when it looks like you’ve been forgotten, God is working behind the scenes. Commit your way to God, trust in Him and He will act. Today as we look at Esther 6, we will see that God always moves at the right time and in the right way. If you’ve ever felt overlooked or forgotten, this message will remind you that God’s answer is on the way.
God Works in Unexpected Ways to Accomplish His Plan
Esther 6:1 (ESV) On that night the king could not sleep. And he gave orders to bring the book of memorable deeds, the chronicles, and they were read before the king.
The turning point of the book of Esther begins with something as small as a sleepless night. The king of Persia with all the comforts of the palace, could not rest. Instead of calling for entertainment, he asked for the book of chronicles to be read to him. Perhaps he thought it would be so boring, it would put him to sleep. This seemingly random choice was divine orchestration. This was not just insomnia; this was God at work behind the scenes.
Mordecai’s faithful act of saving the king’s life had gone unnoticed for years. But at the perfect moment, God ensured that it was remembered. God was working even when no one realized it.
Application
How often do we feel like nothing is happening in our lives? We pray, we wait and it seems like God is silent. Maybe you’ve been unemployed, sending our resumes, but hearing nothing back. Maybe you’ve been single for years, wondering when God will bring the right person. Maybe you’ve been faithful in your ministry, yet no one seems to recognize your efforts. But God is not inactive. He is moving in ways you cannot see.
He can bring a job opportunity through an unexpected connection. He can introduce you to the right person when you least expect it. He can open doors in your ministry at the perfect time. Your faithfulness is never wasted. This week, instead of worrying, practice surrendering your situation to God daily. Ask Him to show you where He is working, even in the small things and give Him thanks.
God’s Timing is Perfect Even When It Feels Delayed
Esther 6:2–3 (ESV) And it was found written how Mordecai had told about Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, … who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. And the king said, “What honor or distinction has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” The king’s young men who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.”
Mordecai has saved the king’s life years earlier, yet no recognition had come. This was highly unusual in Persian culture because those who served the king were usually rewarded quickly. The fact that Mordecai’s deed had been overlooked was not an accident, it was divinely delayed. If Mordecai had been honored earlier, his story would have ended there. But God’s plan required the honor to come at the exact moment when Mordecai needed it most.
Application
Have you ever felt like your efforts go unnoticed? Maybe you’ve prayed for healing, yet the sickness remains. Maybe that loved one who is far from God has not turned back to Him despite your prayers. Maybe you’ve tried hard to restore a relationship, but it doesn’t seem to be working. Delays are frustrating, but they are not denials. God is teaching us patience and trust in the waiting.
God is waiting for the right time; He hasn’t forgotten you. Just like Mordecai’s reward came at the right moment, your breakthrough will come at the time of greatest impact. This week, instead of focusing on what hasn’t happened yet, focus on faith and preparing yourself for when God moves. Keep showing up, keep serving, keep trusting and thank God for the answer in advance.
God Can Reverse Any Situation for His Glory
Esther 6:4–5 (ESV) And the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace to speak to the king about having Mordecai hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for him. And the king’s young men told him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.”
Haman thought that he controlled the future. He had already built the gallows, he believed he had the king’s favor, and he fully expected Mordecai’s execution to be approved. But before he could even speak, the king had already made a decision – to honor Mordecai instead. This is an amazing divine reversal at work. Just when it seemed that Haman had the upper hand, God overturned the situation in an instant. Never ever forget that nothing is impossible for God.
Application
Many of us face situations where it seems like evil is winning. Maybe a dishonest coworker got the promotion you deserved. Maybe a legal battle appears stacked against you. Or perhaps someone has spread false rumors, ruining your reputation. But nothing is hidden from God, He sees everything.
Just as He reversed Mordecai’s fate, He can reverse yours. Your job is not to fight for control, it is to remain faithful. This week, instead of seeking revenge or becoming bitter, choose to trust that God is already working on your behalf. Start praying not just for yourself, but for those who wronged you and watch what God does.
God Humbles the Proud and Lifts Up the Faithful
Esther 6:6–7 (ESV) So Haman came in, and the king said to him, “What should be done to the man whom the king delights to honor?” And Haman said to himself, “Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?” And Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king delights to honor,
At this point Haman is still planning on asking the king for approval to hang Mordecai on the gallows he was built. Haman’s pride blinds him. He assumes the king is talking about him because he believes that he deserves it. So Haman comes up with the most extravagant manner of honoring someone that he desires for himself.
Esther 6:8–9 (ESV) let royal robes be brought, which the king has worn, and the horse that the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown is set. And let … the king’s most noble officials … lead him on the horse through the square of the city, proclaiming before him: ‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.’
Commentators note that these honors were typically reserved for the next king. Notice that the honored man was to wear the king’s robe, ride the king’s horse and even wear the royal crown. Haman was imagining himself being named heir to the throne. But instead, this honor was about to go to the man he hated most – Mordecai.
The man who had been faithful but seemingly forgotten for years.
Application
The proud and the evil are all around us. Oftentimes it seems that they are prospering even because of their wickedness. Perhaps they’ve talked themselves into a promotion they don’t deserve. Or you have a friend that only talks about themselves yet seems to prosper. Yet, the Bible teaches us that God opposes the proud and lifts up the humble.
Instead of comparing yourself to others and focusing on what others are getting, focus on staying faithful to where God has placed you. This week, take time to serve someone in need in some way. Let God be the one who elevates you when the time is right.
God’s Justice Will Prevail in His Time
Esther 6:10–11 (ESV) Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry; take the robes and the horse, as you have said, and do so to Mordecai the Jew… So Haman took the robes and the horse, and he dressed Mordecai and led him through the square of the city, proclaiming before him, “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.”
This is one of the most dramatic reversals in the Bible. Haman came to the palace to destroy Mordecai but ended up honoring him instead. Imagine the humiliation. The same mouth that had spoken condemnation against Mordecai was now honoring him to the whole city. The same hands that prepared gallows for Mordecai’s execution were now dressing him in royal robes.
But this was not just about humbling Haman. It was about revealing God’s justice. In a world where wicked people seem to rise while the righteous suffer, this story reminds us that God always has the final say. Haman had power, wealth and influence, but none of that could stop God’s plan.
Esther 6:12–13 (ESV) … Haman hurried to his house, mourning … And Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and his wife Zeresh said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of the Jewish people, you will not overcome him but will surely fall before him.”
Haman had walked into the palace full of pride but left in shame and mourning. Even his family and advisors now see what is happening. Haman is doomed. They realize that Mordecai’s protection is divine. If he is of the Jewish people – God’s chosen people – then nothing can stop him.
What is amazing here is that Haman’s friends recognized God’s sovereignty before Haman did. They saw that no human scheme could stop what God had ordained.
Application
There are people in life who will try to block your promotion, damage your reputation, and make life difficult for you. But if you are walking in obedience to God, no enemy can stop what He has planned for you. It doesn’t matter if people conspire against you – their words have no power over God’s plan. Mordecai didn’t have power, wealth, or influence, but he had God.
And that was more than enough. This week if you’re facing opposition, instead of worrying about what people are saying or doing behind your back, focus on what God has spoken over your life. He is your defender, he is your provider, He is your justice. No enemy can stop what God has prepared for you.
Conclusion
At the beginning of the message, we talked about First Lieutenant Vernon Baker, a man who performed incredible acts of bravery, but was overlooked for decades. But when the time was right, his story came to light and justice was finally done. Mordecai’s story is even greater, because his recognition wasn’t just delayed, it was divinely orchestrated to happen at the exact moment it would save his life and set the stage for the deliverance of God’s people.
His story teaches us that God is never late. He may seem silent, but He is always working behind the scenes. Some of you today are in a season of waiting. You’ve been praying for God to show up in your finances, your marriage, your health or your job. And if you’re honest, you feel forgotten. You wonder why God seems to be blessing others while your prayers go unanswered. But let me remind you – you are not forgotten. God saw Mordecai sitting at the city gate, and He sees you.
God heard the wicked plans of Haman, and He hears your cries for justice. God intervened in the middle of the night for Mordecai, and He is working behind the scenes for you. What should you do in the waiting? Remain faithful, don’t give up and keep doing what is right, even when no one sees. Release your enemies to God. Pray for them and don’t waste your time fighting battles that belong to God. Trust in God’s perfect timing.
God’s answer will come at the right time. When God acts, He acts suddenly. One day Mordecai was a forgotten man at the king’s gate. The next, he was riding through the city in royal robes. Your situation can turn around just as quickly. So today, I want to challenge you. Will you trust God in the waiting? Will you believe that His timing is perfect? You are not forgotten, your answer is on the way.
