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Day 2 – Favor Esther 2 Have you ever been in a situation where nothing seemed to go right? Everything seemed against you and no matter what, when things looked like they were going to turn around, wham, you back in another crisis. I think many of us can relate to that scenario. However, there does come a day when things do turn around and the problems you faced suddenly put on a new face and understanding dawns as you begin to understand there was a reason why you went through everything you did. It might seem the case with King Ahasuerus. He had everything. He could do anything. But, his wife refused him, and that caused her dismissal, but it also caused him grief because he no longer had a wife. Esther also known as Hadassah, lived with her cousin, Mordecai because her parents were dead, and he took her into his home as his daughter. She lived a simple quiet life, but one of secrecy. No one knew her ancestry as Mordecai told her not to reveal it, especially as the king had decreed a new queen be found and she was brought to the palace to be presented to the king as a possible replacement for Vashti, whom the king had deposed. Now it might seem the greatest opportunity in the world to be presented as the next queen of Persia. However, in order to become the next queen they needed to spend a single night with the king. No longer would the woman be a virgin, which for a Jewish girl was against everything they believed as a girl was not to give herself to anyone until she came to her husband. Esther was a Jewish maid, though no one knew it, and one night with the king would bring shame and disgrace on her. However, God had a plan, and when it was time for Esther to go in to the king, she found grace and favor in his sight, and became the next queen of Persia, eliminating the shame and disgrace she faced from the moment she was brought into the king’s house. When things were going wrong, suddenly everything was right. We might not understand what we are going through, and why nothing seems to go right, but there is coming a day when everything we endure will make sense and we will smile again. As Christians, Satan comes against us with one crisis after another. It seems like they never end. However, God has a plan for our lives, even when we don’t see it. In the account of Joseph and his brothers, who sold him into slavery in Egypt, when the time came for him to reveal his true identity to his brothers, he told them, “You meant this for evil, but God meant it for good to save a nation.” Genesis 50:15 And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him. 16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, 17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spoke unto him. 18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. 19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. (KJV) We don’t know God’s plan, but when we put our trust and faith in God, everything will turn out right. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (KJV) When everything suddenly turns in our favor, we see God’s grace and favor in our life, and we know God was looking out for us the whole time. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (KJV) Esther didn’t know what God’s plan was for her life. She only knew she needed to trust her cousin Mordecai and everything would reveal it in due time. When she became queen, she might have thought all her problems were over. It certainly looked that way. We too need to trust God to take us through the storms in our lives. We don’t know the outcome, as Satan brings problems our way, but the storm clouds will part, we will see the rainbow, and we will feel God’s grace and favor on our lives. Let’s pray: Father, thank you for the storms in my life, and for carrying me through the storms. Help me to trust in You through every crisis, knowing You have a plan for me, and You will bring it about. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 11 February 2016 by Valerie Jean Routhieaux All scripture is King James Version, edited by me into common English. Image courtesy of Pixabay