Thursday, August 25, 2016

Esther -- Beautiful and Courageous!

The book of Esther begins with King Ahasuerus becoming very angry with Vashti, the Queen, because she refused to come at his command!  The king conferred with his "wise men" and the decision was made to give her royal estate unto another "better than she".

 The search began for all the fair young virgins to be brought to Shushan the palace, "...and when many maidens were gathered together...Esther was brought also."
She went through the process of purification, etc., and when her turn came to go in unto the king, the Bible says:
     "And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.  And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti."

It was not yet known that Esther was a Jew, and in the 3rd chapter we read of the conspiracy of Haman, resulting in letters being written in the name of the king "...to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women..."
It did not matter that Esther was the Queen---it did not matter that she was beautiful --- she was a Jew!  What was Esther to do?  Fear must have gripped her heart as Mordecai sent word:
"Think not with thyself  that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews . . . and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

When Esther heard those challenging words, I believe her courage rose to the top, and she was able to say:  ". . . and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish."

When I read of how the courage of Esther brought deliverance to her people, I think of my three beautiful teen-age grand-daughters, 15, 16 and 18 (perhaps about Esther's age, for she was a "fair, young virgin"), and I pray:
      
     "Father, maybe you have brought my sweet grand-daughters, Kaylee, Angel and Brooke to the kingdom for such a time as this.  They are beautiful on the outside, but, most of all I pray that You can make them beautiful on the inside -- vessels of honour; sanctified and meet for the Master's use!
In Jesus' name and for His glory, I pray.  Amen!"
    

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