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Trivia: Esther is the only book in the Bible that made no mention of God. Gasp!! Really? Yes!
So who is Queen Esther and what makes her so special?
When I read Esther's story, it reminds me of a Disney movie -- the plot and the characters are all there -- a simple Jewish girl, a coronation waiting to happen, a supportive cousin, an arrogant villain... and in the thick of it all, is a God that weaves everyone's story to showcase His power and glory to save His people.
WORD
Esther was just a simple girl before she became a queen. In fact, she has the two things that could make anyone cower in insecurity: she was an orphan and she was a Jew:
"Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, who had been carrier into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin, king of Judah.
Mordecai had a cousin named Hadashah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This girl, who was also known as Esther, was lovely in form and features, and Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died." Esther 2:5-7
But her true identity was so much more than her social status. It was during that time that the king was looking for a new queen because the old queen disobeyed his orders. And so the king issued a search to be made for beautiful young virgins for the king.
The girls had to complete 12 months of beauty treatments, 6 months with oil and myrrh and 6 with perfumes and cosmetics. (Gandang bonggang bongga diba!)
And when it was Esther's turn to see the king, she won the king's favor and approval and she so she was crowned as the new Queen.
"So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus to his royal palace in the tenth month which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she found favor and kindness with him more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.
Then the king gave a great banquet, Esther's banquet, for all his princes and his servants; he also made a holiday for the provinces and gave gifts according to the king's bounty.…" Esther 2:16-18
So from being a Jewish orphan girl, she was now hailed as Queen Esther.
Please take note, however, that she had to hide her nationality and family background all throughout.. But God has something bigger in store for her than just waving her hands to the crowd with her perfect hair and gorgeous smile... because Mordecai uncovered a conspiracy where Esther would play a big role in saving her very own people. (more on that next week!)
HIGHLIGHTS
1. God sees past your mistakes, your insecurities and weaknesses.
This story is very close to my heart because this was the musical play that revealed who Jesus is to me. I was in 2nd year high school when I volunteered to be part of the play (you know that it can only be God when I am not musically inclined at all, so to be accepted for it really has God's hand written all over it. lol!).
And I was such an insecure girl when practice started but by the end of the rehearsals, He revealed to me who He is. And from being an insecure and bratty girl, I remember that I only had 1 prayer before the curtains were lifted before the first show: for even just one person in the audience to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.
And sometimes, our past mistakes, our old selves and habits end up defining us but that is not how God sees us-- He sees us as people who can participate in what He is doing, affirming our identity in Him as His royal sons and daughters:
"Come now, let us settle the matter," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. Isaiah 1:18
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." 1 Peter 2:9
2. God has bigger plans for you than you have for yourself
If it were up to Esther, her plans would have probably consisted of settling in their hometown and living a quiet life hiding her identity for the rest of her life. But God has a different plan for her...
We have a way of getting ahead of ourselves and we plan this and that given our circumstance, but God is so much bigger and more powerful so we always have to ask God, "Lord, what are Your plans for me?" no matter how far-fetched or impossible those things could be! Do you think Esther would have thought that she could be a Queen when she was a child? God's plans are so much better than what we could come up for ourselves!
"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9
THOUGHTS
1. What are your insecurities and weaknesses that make you doubt if God can really use you?
2. Spend time asking God to take those thoughts captive and to replace it with thoughts of who you truly are in God's eyes.
Photo Credits: https://www.theurbanlist.com/content/article/snowy-mountains-header_1.jpg
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