A Patient and Willing Child

“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will come to God’s people from another place, but you and your family will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” – Esther 4:14

During the past four weeks, I have participated in a Bible Study on the book of Esther. I just finished the study yesterday, and God has taught me a lot on how to be a patient and willing child of His throughout.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the book of Esther, I will try to sum it up for you throughout the post.

Chapters 1-2: Esther Becomes Queen

• King Xerxes was the current King of Persia and of all the Jews that subside there.
• The king demanded his wife (Queen Vashti) to display her beauty for all his guests at a feast that he was hosting. She refused and was banished from the king’s presence.
• A lapse of four years go by, in which the king decided to invade Greece and failed. Discouraged and lonely, the king decides to search for a new wife. He orders all eligible young ladies to come to him – one of which was a Jew named Esther.
• Esther was raised by her cousin Mordecai, and both feared the Lord. Mordecai told her to keep her family background a secret for now.
• After a year of beauty treatments, Esther was brought to the king, was found favor in, and crowned Queen of Persia.
• Shortly after, Mordecai uncovers a plot to assassinate the king, warns Esther who warns the king, the plan is foiled, and the criminals hung. This was all recorded in the Book of Annals.

During these first two chapters, it was evident to me that God had His hand in the situation the whole time. Even though all were unaware of the upcoming events, He wanted Esther to be queen for some important reason. And because He wanted that, you can bet that it was going to happen. This shows me that He continues to be faithful in His promise to deliver the Israelites from danger. By making Esther queen, it was clear that God had set His plan into motion to be carried throughout the rest of the book.

Chapters 3-4: The Jews are Threatened

• Haman, second in command to the king, demands Mordecai to bow and pay homage to him. Mordecai refuses, and Haman is infuriated.
• Haman plots against Mordecai and his people (the Jews), and receives permission from the king to kill and destroy all the Jews in Persia.
• Mordecai and Esther are greatly distressed by the news and Mordecai asks Esther to beg the king to show mercy for their people.
• Esther is afraid to do so because it is against the law for anyone – including the queen – to approach the king without being summoned. She warns Mordecai of this, but Mordecai suggests that this could be her calling to save the Jews.
• She asks Mordecai to have all the Jews fast for three days, and finally through prayer and guidance from the Lord, decided to approach the king.

This section of the book shows me that Esther is a patient and willing child of God. Esther had acquired knowledge of her and her people’s demises, and instead of making an impulsive decision, decided to meditate on the Lord for wisdom for three days. Then, after that time, she obtained the strength and courage to break the law and face the king in order to save her people! She was willing to give up her life to do so!

Chapters 5-8: Esther Intercedes for the Jews

• Esther decides to approach the king, and when doing so, he shows mercy and in return, offers up to half of his kingdom! She decides to invite him and Haman to a banquet that she prepares.
• At the banquet, she invites them again to a banquet occurring the following evening. This was a part of the pan created during the three-day fast.
• Haman goes home and boasts to his wife and friends about the banquets and his status with the king and queen. He also tells them about the time when Mordecai refused to honor him and show respect. They convinced him to build gallows to hang Haman as a consequence for disobeying.He had them built that night.
• That same night, the king, unable to sleep, decides to look in the book of Chronicles – the record of his reign. He read about how Mordecai had uncovered the assassination plot and saved his life. He realizes that Mordecai was never recognized for his heroic act.
• The following day, the king asks Haman for advice on how to honor someone that has pleased the king. Haman, being his arrogant self, gave many extravagant ideas on how to do so – wearing the king’s robes, paraded on the streets, grand proclamations, etc. The king tells Haman to do all of the above for Mordecai. That day, Haman did so, and he was greatly humiliated.
• Later that evening, Haman and the king attended Esther’s second banquet. Esther reveals her distress and tells her husband of the plot to kill her and her people. When Esther revealed the man behind the destruction, the king was outraged that Haman would dare harm his queen.
• Haman begged for mercy, but the king wold not have it. He had him hung on the gallows prepared for Mordecai, and gave his estate to Esther.
• Then, Esther also revealed that Mordecai was her cousin, and the King gave him Haman’s old position and his signet ring.
• She also begged the king to show mercy on her people. He sent out a new decree allowing the Jews to protect and assemble themselves. They celebrated with feasting and much joy and gladness.

In this part of the book, it was apparent to me that Esther used a lot of faith and trust in God to deliver protection for herself and her people. Esther showed patience and self-restraint the first to times she addressed the king. This shows me that she was willing to be patient enough to trust in God’s timing. Then, when the time came for her to reveal her distress, she again showed strength and faith in God to carry out His plan.

Chapters 9-10: The Jews are Delivered

• When the day came for their destruction, they showed restraint and killed only those who attacked, and chose not to steal any possessions.
• Esther requested to allow the Jews to defend themselves for a second day and to have the sons of Haman executed as well for their attacks on the Jews. The king granted her request, and they were also hung. This ended Haman’s family line which fulfilled God’s promise to blot out the Amalekites (Deuteronomy 25).
• The Israelites celebrated again through feasts and with much rejoice in the Lord. This feast is sometimes called The Feast of Esther. This event became a yearly celebration in remembrance of the queen and their God who delivered them from destruction. At this time, Esther reveals to the kingdom her identity as a Jew.
• Mordecai was also held at a high esteem with the Jews for his role in their deliverance.

This part shows me what a good Father we have! He continues to keep his promise to protect His children. He continues to use His children to carry out His plan for His people. He continues to bless those He loves. And I can trust that those apply here and now too! I know that He will always be faithful in His promises. I know that He will use me in His plan for this broken world. I know that He will continue to bless me because He loves me!

As I reflect on who Esther was, and how she portrayed much patience and willingness as a child of God, I found myself reflecting on my ability to be patient and willing to have God intervene and do great things. I felt convicted. I could feel God telling me that I need to practice more patience and to have more trust in Him to deliver. I need to let Him have control and give Him time to deliver.

There are so many things that are out of my hands, just like they were for Esther. I need to take a step back and trust that God will take care of it. Imagine all the things I could witness as God intervenes in my life, the way He plans to! Why get in His way? Why try to be in control myself? Why choose my own timing? Why not just be patient and willing to let Him do amazing things in me, through me, and the world around me?

God help me to be a patient and willing child.

 

Below is Rebel Heart by Lauren Daigle. I hope you enjoy it! It is a favorite of mine!