"One of the reasons I believe the Bible and love the Bible is because it deals with the hardest issues in life. It doesn’t sweep painful things under the rug — or complex things or confusing things or provoking things or shocking things or controversial things" (p. 7).

“It’s precisely the inexpressible something that poetry is meant to help us see or feel. If it were merely expressible— if there were nothing ineffable about it—there would be no need for a poem. But everywhere in the Bible we meet reality that exceeds our comprehension. We must find a way to at least point or suggest or hint. It’s too wonderful—or too something—to keep to ourselves. So it is with the book of Esther. This book never mentions God. But he is everywhere – the invisible hand that moves empires for the sake of his people” (p. 8).