Reading through the books of the old testament and discovering the amazing characters and historical events, one character stood out amongst the rest. At first, I thought that my fascination was because finally a woman was seen as the hero in a world and culture where women were seen as property with limited aspirations in life. But this woman’s story was different. It was a combination of every young girl’s dream come true like a fairy tale to the reality that maybe it wasn’t as perfect as I thought. As I read and re-read each page in this short book, I discovered a woman whom I admired. Finally, I thought to myself, in the best book of instruction ever written, the bible, was the story of a woman who was chosen and called with a purpose. This purpose was no ordinary task to help, but to lead and be used by God to deliver His people. I discovered the life of Queen Esther of Persia.
Before Esther became a Queen, her name was “Hadassah”. Hadassah was a young orphan Hebrew girl raised by her cousin Mordecai. Mordecai was like a father to Hadassah. She lived during a time when the Hebrew people were sent off into captivity. Already her life was difficult, having both her parents dead and in a land where she was a foreigner and where her customs and religion were as different as night and day. Even though her start in life was rough, Hadassah loved her cousin like a father and obeyed his wise words of instruction.
It came to pass that a Royal decree was given to capture all the beautiful young virgins in the land and gather them together in the King’s Palace in the Citadel, a highly fortified place where King Xerxes & the royals lived. This was very alarming because this young woman was taken against her will. She didn’t have a choice. This event is equivalent to human trafficking of today. Hadassah was to be placed in the King’s Harem. There were two options, either she would be crowned Queen or she would live her life as a concubine, one of the King’s mistresses. Her future seemed somber.
I could just imagine her initial fear. Fear seemed to be a reoccurring struggle in her life. Fear caused by losing her parents, to living in a foreign land to now being taken against her will. I can only imagine that Hadassah had dreams like every other young girl to marry a good Jewish boy and raise a family. But, this wasn’t in her destiny thus adding more fear to an unknown future. Before Hadassah was taken, her cousin Mordecai instructed her to hide her ethnicity and gave her a new name, Esther (star, hidden thing). Hadassah did just this and now began to walk as Esther. She was fearful but she obeyed Mordecai. One thing I’ve learned in reading the Old Testament is that when we love, we obey.
As I read, I quickly realized that time passed. Things didn’t happen quickly. In fact, her entering the King’s Harem & Citidel was only the beginning of her process in walking as an Esther. Esther began her training in the arts of essential oils like Myrrh and beauty treatments. Her skin must have been as soft as silk and she must of smelled like a summer’s garden. As I read this, I began to compare our process in finding intimacy with God with her process in coming before the King. There is a process and it takes time before change begins to occur. Not only did Esther continue to prepare physically, emotionally, and spiritually but it took 4 years before she had her encounter or as I like to say, her night with the King. Esther began walking in her calling. She was surrounded by favor and was crowned Queen.
I could stop here but to me this was only the beginning. I began to read how Esther grew spiritually and how she overcame fear through prayer and fasting when faced with the devastating news of a threat to completely anihalate her people. As I turned each page in this book, I had a million questions. Why did Esther fast? Was it really so that God would deliver her people or was it to break the yoke of fear in her life, lift the heavy burdens, loosen the bonds that marked her so that she could be used by God to fulfill the calling that He had on her life? My answer was found in Isaiah 58:6 and as I read how Esther declared a fast for 3 days. After 3 days, before the presence of the True King in fasting and prayer, Esther no longer feared.
I can relate to Esther in so many ways as her life and story has left an imprint in my life. You see just like Esther, I too am a woman, a daughter, a wife, a mother, and leader where God has planted me. Like Esther, I too battled fear like a monster lurking under the bed or hiding in a closet. But like Esther, the chains of fear loosened and broke. I found that growing in intimacy with God took time, obedience, and surrendering. It took preparation and time alone in prayer, worship, and studying the Scriptures. The scriptures became my sweet aroma as part of my training. It became my anointing like Esther with her oils. I don’t know when it happened but I started to feel compelled to read the Word. It wasn’t something that I had to do. It was something that I wanted to do. I loved it and I still do. Like Esther, I discovered the power of deliverance as I dove in knowledge of the word and began to fast. It didn’t happen overnight and I’m still in training & preparing for what God is calling me to do and what he is doing in my personal kingdom, my home as a wife and mother. In reading Esther, I rejoiced in knowing that God is not a God of favoritism. God does not discriminate. He will use a woman, a child, a young adult, an elder, and a man to fulfill His purpose. Mankind looks at the appearance but God looks at the heart. He’s looking for a heart that’s malleable. A heart that is after God’s heart.
I can stop right here but discovering Esther has influenced my life in so many ways. I began blogging, posting on Instagram under the name “finding Esther”. My husband or like I like to call him “my King Xerxes” LOL created a webpage @ www.findingesther.org so that I could encourage women in their intimacy and everyday walk with the Lord to awaken the Esther in all of us, in our calling and purpose. But it didn’t stop there. Like Esther with her knowledge of essential oils, I too began to learn and research oils and their healing properties & benefits. I opened a small business and web store and make and sell organic oil blends & recipes for skincare and natural remedies. I named my store: ESTHER’S APOTHECARY at www.findingesther.org/shop/ .
In conclusion, Queen Esther has absolutely made an impact in my life. I’ve seen it from my spiritual walk to a physical endeavor. Esther fasted & prayed and watched how God not only broke the yoke of fear but delivered her people. I’ve fasted & prayed and seen how God has delivered me through the Word from the chains of slavery, oppression to freedom. I still ask many questions and you know what, God is answering them one by one.