14 SEPTEMBER

SHE WON HIS FAVOUR (ESTHER)

“Now the young woman pleased Hegai and found favour with him. So he quickly provided her with beauty preparations and her [portion of] food, and he gave her seven choice maids from the king’s palace; then he transferred her and her maids to the best place in the harem. (Esther 2:9, AMP)

Esther was a very beautiful young woman but so were many others who had come for the purpose of competing for the next Queen of Persia and Medes. Esther was grounded in the ways of God. She had learnt obedience to God, her uncle Mordecai and all in authority over her. Through her obedience, she pleased Hegai, the custodian of the women and he favoured her above all others. He put her in the best place for twelve months, as required, and gave her the best beauty treatments, even more than required.

Esther requested nothing but took all the advice of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, the custodian of the women. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all who saw her (Esther 2:15).

Most importantly, Esther was favoured by the king of the most powerful nation in the then known world. Her inner beauty of obedience radiated through her external beauty to release favour! Her gifts brought her into her destiny. She came as a helper to save the Jews from annihilation at that time. Her gifts were not for her personal happiness and enjoyment but for her people and God.

ACTION: What are your gifts used for? Obedience is learnt through experience. What have you learnt from your experiences?

PRAYER: Lord, please grant me grace to use my gifts wisely to glorify your name, help those around me and bring me into my destiny.