Listen To The Authorities God Places Over You
Before a young woman's turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics. And this is how she would go to the king. Anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the Harem to the king's palace. In the evening she would go there and in the morning return to another part of the harem to the care of Shaagaz, the king's eunuch who was in charge of the king's concubines. She would not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and summoned her by name.
When the turn came for Esther (the young woman Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king's eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her. She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. And the king gave a great banquet, Esther's banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality. Esther 2:12-18
When the turn came for Esther (the young woman Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king's eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her. She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. And the king gave a great banquet, Esther's banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality. Esther 2:12-18
Who would have thought that a young girl who had lost both parents and had been adopted by her uncle as his own daughter would end up as Queen in the very land into which her family had been forcibly sent to live as foreigners?
The Bible makes it clear that the plans God has for each of us are for our good and never for our evil. They are plans to prosper us and not to harm us. They are plans to give us hope and a future. So, no matter what twists and turns our lives might take, the plans of God for our lives can never be thwarted by either Satan, his demons or any human agent of the devil. No one can destroy the plans of God for your life as long as you remain steadfast and faithful in your commitment to Him. No sickness, no demon, no curse, no death in the family, no boss - absolutely nothing in all creation can ever stop God's ordained plans and blessings for your life.
Remember what Scripture says: In all things, God is working together for your good. God knew the plans He had for Esther and not even the death of her parents would destroy those plans. God gave Esther new parents through adoption because He knew what opportunities would be opened to her for the fulfillment of her destiny. Our God is just amazing! He works all things out.
As I ponder this passage, there is one thing that keeps popping out to me: Esther's character.
Esther listened to the advice of the authorities God placed her under.
First, she listened to her father Mordecai and never revealed her nationality. This was divine because such a revelation would have derailed what God was putting in place.
Second Esther listened to the advice of Hegai and did only what Hegai instructed her to do. God does not just throw people our way. God places people strategically in our lives. This is especially so with those whose authority He brings us under, even when they are "unbelievers like the king's eunuch, Hegai, under whose care Esther was placed.
But especially for us Christians, we should be very careful and very grateful when God places us under godly spiritual authority and we should be very careful to listen to the godly advice they give us. Turning our backs and arrogantly despising the godly advice of such authorities God places us under could prove very costly to our lives and very destiny.
Esther humbled herself and listened to her father and the Eunuch. Are you humbling yourself to listen to your parents, your teachers, your bosses at work, your spiritual leaders? Or are you arrogantly disrespecting them and doing your own thing? Do you realize that it could cost you your blessing and bring you much regret? Think about it!
The Bible makes it clear that the plans God has for each of us are for our good and never for our evil. They are plans to prosper us and not to harm us. They are plans to give us hope and a future. So, no matter what twists and turns our lives might take, the plans of God for our lives can never be thwarted by either Satan, his demons or any human agent of the devil. No one can destroy the plans of God for your life as long as you remain steadfast and faithful in your commitment to Him. No sickness, no demon, no curse, no death in the family, no boss - absolutely nothing in all creation can ever stop God's ordained plans and blessings for your life.
Remember what Scripture says: In all things, God is working together for your good. God knew the plans He had for Esther and not even the death of her parents would destroy those plans. God gave Esther new parents through adoption because He knew what opportunities would be opened to her for the fulfillment of her destiny. Our God is just amazing! He works all things out.
As I ponder this passage, there is one thing that keeps popping out to me: Esther's character.
Esther listened to the advice of the authorities God placed her under.
First, she listened to her father Mordecai and never revealed her nationality. This was divine because such a revelation would have derailed what God was putting in place.
Second Esther listened to the advice of Hegai and did only what Hegai instructed her to do. God does not just throw people our way. God places people strategically in our lives. This is especially so with those whose authority He brings us under, even when they are "unbelievers like the king's eunuch, Hegai, under whose care Esther was placed.
But especially for us Christians, we should be very careful and very grateful when God places us under godly spiritual authority and we should be very careful to listen to the godly advice they give us. Turning our backs and arrogantly despising the godly advice of such authorities God places us under could prove very costly to our lives and very destiny.
Esther humbled herself and listened to her father and the Eunuch. Are you humbling yourself to listen to your parents, your teachers, your bosses at work, your spiritual leaders? Or are you arrogantly disrespecting them and doing your own thing? Do you realize that it could cost you your blessing and bring you much regret? Think about it!
Prayer: Father, I repent in every way in which I have sinned against you by spurning the advice of the authorities under which you have placed me when they have only been acting according to your word and in my own best interest. Please help me to truly repent and listen. Amen