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Esther 1-5: Faithing Death

I put the bible face down on the couch totally buzzed after reading the last verse in chapter 5. there was so much to take in, to let seep in, in such a short number of chapters.

The first passage that came to mind, when Esther was highly favored by all who saw her,  was from 1 Peter 3:3-4. Where it says:Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. 4Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.


Esther was favored, not just because of her outward beauty, but the way she demonstrated integrity and character, and peculiarity in the crowd of others around her.
Esther 2:12-15
12 Before a girl'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. 13 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. 14 In the evening she would go there and in the morning return to another part of the harem to the care of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and summoned her by name.

15 When the turn came for Esther (the girl 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.

 Esther, further more delighted my soul  with her approach to trouble. She immediately turned her focus to the Lord, the only one who can do anything about out troubles. There is a hymn that says " O what peace we often forfeit, Oh what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer" Well instead of getting worked up about it, Esther opted to go to God in prayer.
 
The thing is, while Esther is at work, before the Lord, the enemy is still at work as well. The enemy doesn't rest, and it may seem like when we approach God it gets worse. I mean Haman got personal, attacking Mordecai specifically- not just the  nation of Israel. Chapter 5 leaves us with Haman plotting to build a gallows for Mordecai, but like the Psalmist says " When the wicked, even my enemies, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell".
 
Looking forward to what happens next!

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