Will He find you Faithful

Here is this weeks devotional...Enjoy!

Stay Blessed!
Megs

Will He Find You Faithful


I’m not sure that Esther could have ever realized the full effect that her faith would have had down through history. Here we are some 2,500 years later discussing Esther’s faith in our Lord. Esther chose to have faith even before the chosen Messiah had come. How much more faith should we have knowing that he has come, and will come again. Incase anyone is not familiar with the book of Esther I want to give a short summary. Both of Esther’s parents at some point died when she was still young. Her older cousin, Mordecai, took Esther to raise her. The queen of Babylon at this time was Vashti. King Ahasuerus got angry with Vashti, and put her away. The king and his “wise men” decided to search for a new queen. The “wise men” suggested he just bring all of the beautiful young virgins in Babylon to the palace. He could keep them all and just pick one to be queen. I know my blood pressure goes up every time I read this book! For this reason, it is important to remember that this WAS NOT God’s will. These were wicked, worldly people doing wicked worldly things. It was not what God wanted. Esther was one of the young women chosen for the king.Can you imagine how Esther felt as they were taking her away? She had already been separated from one family, now she would be separated from another. Mordecai had to watch as they took Esther away and there was nothing he could do. Why didn’t Esther or Mordecai put up a fight? Why didn’t they resist? To live in Babylon meant living by Babylon’s rules and being subject to that authority. To resist would have meant death. Beloved, faith cannot be proven, until it is tested. 1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Esther is taken into the palace with the other women. She is given to Hegai, keeper of the women. In Esther 2:9 it says “and the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her things for purification…….and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women. Picture this for a moment. There were literally hundreds of other women brought to the palace, not to mention the other women that already lived there. Hegai was the keeper of the women. I love you girls, but no way do I want to be a keeper of hundreds of women! Can you imagine what a day was like for him? Out of all these women instantly he is taken by Esther. I cannot prove this and it is strictly my opinion but I think the majority of women responded in 1 of 3 ways to this situation. Some were angry. They were going along because they had to. You could see it on their face they did not want to be there and they let everyone know it. They couldn’t resist, but they would make life miserable for everyone else around them. Some were falling apart. Weeping, trembling, unable to follow simple instructions because of the fear and grief that had overcome them. After all, they were never getting out of here. This was their life from now until they died. Some were all to glad to be there. They deserved it. Of course they were picked for the king, why wouldn’t they be? I’ll take the best maidens please. I would like the best rooms please. I like my tea at 7:00 am sharp. They were strutting around all to happy with themselves. I do not believe Esther fit any of these categories. Esther was not super human. I’m sure she was scared and at least a few times felt like crying. Esther’s faith was stronger than her emotions. Her faith in her Creator rose above any feelings she may have had. She stood firm, planted her feet in faith and grew above her circumstances. Ephesians 3:17-21 That Christ may dwell in you hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. World without end indeed. We are capable, through faith, to accomplish all that Esther did and more. I am not talking about a specific situation. I am talking about living our lives as Esther lived hers. None of us will have our faith tested in the exact same way through the exact same trials even today living in this day and time together. Will we ever be taken away as young virgins to the king? No. Will we ever be in a position where we have to risk our lives to save the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ? Probably not. I think the decision Esther made to risk her life to save the Jewish people is amazing. Now stay with me here as I say this. What amazes me the most about Esther is not her willingness to die physically, but her willingness to die daily by accepting that her life was not her own, but the Lords. She not only accepted the Lord’s will, but showed complete reverence to a man who did not even come close to deserving such a woman. Sisters, this kind of an attitude could only come from and enormous amount of faith. Esther had to believe the Lord loved her and wanted what was best for her. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.Like Abigail, Esther had a great amount of discernment and wisdom. No doubt she prayed for both. She had the faith to believe God would give them to her. Do you have enough faith to believe God will give them to you? James1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. Esther had courage like Abigail. It was a courageous thing to risk her life by pleading for the Jews. I believe it might have taken more courage to just live her every day life to the point that people saw there was something different about her. Out of all the hundreds of women, Hegai and the king both saw something different in Esther. She found favour with both of them. Hegai gave her the best and the king made her his queen. Abigail and Esther both had the heart of a servant. They reverenced men who did not deserve their reverence. Now that takes faith! Does it not? They were faithful to the Lord and believed he would be faithful to them. They were obedient and trusted that the Lord would take care of them and those they were under the authority of. 2 Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.Have you noticed a pattern here? Abigail and Esther were both extremely faithful in their every day lives. Their lives were not easy, they were hard, but I am sure you never would have known that had you met them. The Lord had a plan for both of these ladies just as he has a plan for you and I. Proverbs 20:6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find? Will he find you faithful?