Esther 2:1-18
“And the king loved Esther more than any of the other young women. He was so delighted with her that he set the royal crown on her head and declared her queen instead of Vashti.” (Esther 2:17, NLT)
It is difficult for us to imagine what it would have been like to be king of Persia in those days and ruler over 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia. Xerxes could have anything he wanted. He had a harem of concubines who were always available. He had wealth on a scale surpassing even the billionaires we know today. But with everything he possessed there was still an emptiness in his soul. Queen Vashti had been his wife, his soul mate, and now she was gone. He longed for the companionship of a life partner and friend. Loving monogamy is so much better than having multiple partners.
The search was on to find a beautiful virgin who pleased the king. Esther, along with many other young women, was brought to the harem. Immediately she found favor with the king’s eunuch who gave her special food, beauty treatments, seven maids to care for her, and the best room in the house. But Esther did not reveal that she was Jewish, following the advice of her cousin Mordecai.
When Esther’s turn came, she asked for nothing more than what the king’s eunuch suggested. She was admired by everyone who saw her, and the king loved her more than any of the other women. He placed the royal crown on her head, gave a great banquet in her honor, and even declared a national holiday!
It is not difficult to see God working behind the scenes to bring Esther to this place of favor, honor and influence for such a time as this. But she had no idea what was about to occur!
None of us knows what a day will hold, but we know who holds the day. Esther was wise not to seek what she wanted but to follow the advice of those closest to her. In so doing, she was surrendering herself to God and allowing Him to work out His glorious plans for her life. We would all be wise to follow her example in absolute surrender. He who lets God choose, chooses best.