The Queen who inspires me

Throughout the Bible there are many women who remark themselves through their meek spirit in following God, but when it comes to a good example of a mighty woman, who is she for you, Christian lady? Well, in my case there are several who are good, and in some instances called "great" by the Lord, but there is one queen whom the Bible talks greatly about, so greatly that it fascinated me. Consequently, this post is something more personal.

Enough with the introduction; let's jump in and enjoy the content. Be comfortable, ladies!

Since I got saved, many of my personal views have changed about life: taste in clothing, taste in music, taste in approaching differently some particular circumstances, taste in reading, etc. Shortly after I got saved, due to the studies I was enrolled in, I had to render some translations about different book topics; one of them was the biblical story of Queen Esther. As I was reading the Bible, I realized that the story is fascinating: a mere woman saving the lives of her people - the Jews - from the hands of Haman, the vizier of King Ahasuerus. Ahaseurus was a great king who ruled in the Persian Empire. His first wife, Vashti, encompasses the image of the rebellious wife who is not in obedience to her husband,

Esther 1:12, "But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him."

Because of that, seeing that queen Vashti would go further and have her own banquette, the king gave up on her and took away from her the "queen" title. Meanwhile, Hadassah (who is Esther) conquers her king's heart when she was brought by Mordecai her uncle to the palace. She swept the king off his feet not just with her outer looks, but also with obedience, virtue, and the ability to rule.

Esther 2:7, "And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter."

Through her actions we infer that Esther was greatly used by God in wisdom of how to tackle the circumstances,

Esther 4:6, "Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which [is] not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish."

If the Bible talks so greatly about a queen, then it must mean something in the Lord's eyes. Notice her love for God " fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise", her courage, strength and faithfulness, "and so will I go in unto the king, which [is] not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish." She is willing to run the risk of losing her own life just to deliver the Jews from the hands of Haman - the antagonist who plotted against God's people.

Her wise decisions, her approaches melted her king's heart,

Esther 5:1-3, "Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on [her] royal [apparel], and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.

And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, [that] she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that [was] in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.

Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what [is] thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom."

She made herself beautiful for the king, she was in subjection to the king, "Esther put on [her] royal [apparel]", "And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, [that] she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that [was] in his hand."

Ladies, back then, if the king would point the sceptre towards a woman, that meant he was well-pleased with her, it means that he loved her, and respected her. "What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what [is] thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom." Now stop and imagine what a wonderful surprise to see your husband, who in this case might have been king Ahasuerus, telling you he gives you half of his kingdom, in addition to fulfilling so many other wonderful requests you might have.

What do we notice? The queen, who was in the first instance a simple orphan woman, became a great queen with the same humble spirit, by comparison with Vashti who thought pridefully about herself.

Esther 2:17, "And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti."

My, my... What an amazing thought... Actually, Esther won the king's heart still from the beginning,

Esther 2:8-9, "So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.

And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women."

No matter how many beautiful women there might be, if they focus too much on the earthly pleasures they have their reward. Everything in this world has a price; a woman with dignity is hard to find, but not impossible, for "with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26).

Esther denied the material riches exactly as the Lord Jesus Christ did when tempted in the wilderness,

Matthew 4:8-10, "Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."

Finally, Esther accomplished her purpose and preserved her people.

Now, let me ask you? Are you for your husband a Vashti or an Esther? Know that when you are born again, you become the child of the Most High, so your blood becomes royal in the Heavenly Kingdom. Do not trade the eternal for temporal. Seek to please God. Whose side are you on?

With dearly love,

Denisa