A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                               BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS PART V

I, Esther, living in the palace in Susa, have been invited to see king Xerxes.... I have asked my seven maids to pray for me.... And I am praying for this event as well..... I am asking the Lord to give me favour with the king... God knows why I am here... He must have a purpose for me being here.... I do not yet know the reason for me being in the palace... But it cannot just be so that I can have this comfortable life, have the most delicious food to eat, can wear the most beautiful gowns fit for a queen and have servants to take care of my daily needs.... No, there must be more to it.... Perhaps I will discover more of God's purpose for my life when I am with the king,".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that the day has arrived for Esther to meet king Xerxes....




            ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

                               BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS PART V

God does care for Esther and He has allowed her to be there for a very special reason as you will find out later on. One day Esther is presented to the king as you can read in Esther 2:16

She was taken to king Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

Much preparation has taken place but the day finally arrives for Esther to appear before king Xerxes.

                              A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES
                                    
                                   BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS PART IV

I, Esther, am getting used to living in the palace of king Xerxes.... I have been living here for some time now.... But I have not yet seen king Xerxes.... I am sure Hegai will know when I am ready to meet the king.... I trust him completely.... And I trust my seven maids who he has given to me as my companions.... We have no secrets from each other.... Apart from one secret.... They do not know that I am not Persian but Jewish.... The reason I have not told them that I am Jewish is because my cousin Mordecai has told me not to tell anyone of my origin.... Even the king does not know.... I haven't seen my cousin since I moved to the palace.... But he comes to the palace court yard every day.... He is worried about me... I usually send a message to him via a servant to let him know I am being taken care of very well.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that no-one knows Esther's background....


             ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                 BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS PART IV

Over time Esther develops a close relationship with her seven maids but she has to keep secret the fact that she is not a Persian but is of Jewish descent as you can read in Esther 2:10-11

Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so. Every day he walked to and fro near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.

Esther's cousin Mordecai is eager to learn how Esther is doing but he cannot visit her in the palace. Neither can Esther see him outside the palace. All she can do is sending him messages via a servant. Moreover, her cousin has told her not to let anyone know that she is Jewish.


                  

 



                                   PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                       BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS PART III

I, Esther, am now living in the palace of king Xerxes in the city of Susa.... I did not come here of my own choice... I came her because the king sent soldiers to gather young girls like myself to live in the palace.... He will select a new queen from among us... I do not know how to act in front of the king so as not to displease him for I have heard he can be easily angered.... But he is such an important man and I am just a young girl.... Thankfully, a very kind man named Hegai is helping me in my preparations for my meeting with the king... Moreover, he has given me seven maids... They are wonderful companions... Hegai has given us some beautiful rooms to stay in as well.... I still miss my cousin Mordecai though.... My rooms here may be more beautiful that my room at my cousin Mordecai's home but I would go back there anytime if I could.... However, that is not going to happen so I must stop dreaming about returning to my cousin's home.... I am very grateful for Hegai's kindness to me and for the devotions shown to me by my seven maids.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn about Esther's preparations to get ready to meet king Xerxes....


                     ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                      BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS PART II

Esther is greatly helped in her preparations before meeting king Xerxes by a man named Hegai, who has given her seven maids as her companions as you can read in Esther 2:9

The girl pleased him and won his favour. Immediately he provided her with beauty treatments and special food. He assigned her seven maids selected from the king's palace and moved her and her maids into the best place of the harem.

Esther is very grateful that she can share her living quarters with her seven maids so she is no longer lonely. They mean more and more to her as each day passes.

     
                          A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                               BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS PART II

I, Esther have things happened to me I never expected to happen... I have been taken into the king's palace here in Susa..... It happened without my cousin Mordecai being able to do anything about it... One day soldiers from the king's palace came and took me away to the palace.... I and many other girls were taken to the palace....The reason we were all taken to the palace is because king Xerxes wants a new queen.... We are now all being prepared to meet the king one by one.... He will choose a queen from among us... I still cannot believe it has happened... But it has.... I miss my cousin Mordecai so very much.... Thankfully, the king has provided me with a very kind man though... His name is Hegai... He reminds me of my cousin.... But he is not my cousin.... No one can replace my cousin.... I do not understand why I am here at the palace.... But it seems God has allowed me to come here.... He must have a purpose for me being here.... Perhaps one day I will learn what that purpose is.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Esther has been taken to king Xerxes' palace together with other young girls.....


               ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS PART II

King Xerxes ruled over Persia at the time Ester lived there with her cousin Mordecai and the day came that he wished for a queen beside him so many young girls were brought to the palace for the king to choose a queen from among them, including Esther as you can read in Esther 2:8

When the king's order and edict had been proclaimed, many girls were brought to the citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. Esther was also taken to the king's palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem.

The unthinkable has happened; young Esther has been taken from the safety of her cousin  Mordecai's home to the palace. To be honest neither she nor Mordecai have any say in the matter. Their separation has been enforced upon them. It must have been a frightening experience for Esther to be suddenly placed in this unknown environment. However, you will learn that God is very involved in Esther being at the palace, even if she does not know that and may well have wondered at times if God actually cares about her having been taken to the palace, since she is just a young girl and He has, very likely, more important matters to take care of than consider her situation and do something about it.

   


                          A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                              BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS PART I

"I, Esther, live with my cousin Mordecai... My parents have died.... I am very grateful to my cousin for taking care of  me... We are Jewish but we do not live in Israel.... We live in Persia... Mt family has not always lived in Persia.... We used to live in Israel... But one day the king of Babylon, named, Nebuchadnezzar, came with his army to Jerusalem... And he took many of the Israelite people back with him to Israel...Some of my family members were taken as well... They settled down in Susa.... That is where my cousin Mordecai and I now live... Life is good here for us, Jewish people.... We are able to have a peaceful existence here... I am sure that will continue... I have heard rumours that things at the palace are not as peaceful.... It seems the king, whose name is Xerxes, has sent his queen away because she did not want to obey  him....I wonder if he might want another queen beside him one day... Anyway, that should not affect my life... I am just a young girl who is being taken care of by her cousin.... I am sure I will be able to stay with him for the rest of my life."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn about a young Jewish girl named Esther who lived in Persia.


           ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                               BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS PART I

Esther was a young Jewish girl who lived in Persia. Her parents had died and she was brought up by her cousin Mordecai as you can read in Esther 2:5-7

Now there was in the citadel of Susa, a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, the son of Kish, who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin king of Judah. Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This girl, who was also known as Esther, was lovely in form and features, and Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.

Esther is very settled at the home of her cousin Mordecai. As far as she is concerned, nothing will ever happen to cause a change in her circumstances. It is true, the king has sent his queen away because she did not want to appear before his guests. And he may eventually want to replace her with a new queen but, no doubt, the king will be very careful in his selection of a new queen. However, she is sure, she will not be considered to this very important position, especially because she is not Persian but Jewish.

   

                    

                         A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                              AN INSTRUMENT FOR HEALING PART XIII

"I, the young servant girl in Naaman's household, was used by God in a way that I could have never imagined..... It did not matter that I was not known by the world.... What mattered was that I was known by God... It does not matter that even today I am only knows as a young girl from Israel.... For my God knew me by name.... He did not make a mistake when He used me for His specific purpose and He has worked out everything for good... He will do the same for you.... Just trust Him and allow Him to use you for His purpose."... Please read the typed out attachment and allow the young girl from Israel to encourage you to step out in faith and obedience to God's will for your life...


           ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                            AN INSTRUMENT FOR HEALING PART XIII

So God chose the place where the young girl from Israel was to live, when she was to live there, and the family she was to be part of. He even allowed her to be abducted. But the abduction took place by a specific people selected by Him, who took her back to a nation selected by Him, where she came to live in a home selected by Him. He allowed the master of the household to become ill and used the young girl as His tool to bring healing and restoration to this man. In fact God used this young girl to bring salvation to this household for we have learned that this man after his healing decided to worship the God of Israel instead of the god of his own country. No doubt, he will have introduced the God of Israel to his whole household. Paul explains these principles in Romans 8:28

For we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

Therefore, if God can use a young girl from Israel, whose name we do not even know, but whose name is known by God, then you can believe that God can and wants to use you too. You may not be known by the world but you will be known by God by name. And that is what really matters. So know that God is the One who has chosen for you the place where you were to be born, when you were to be born there and chose the family you were to be born into. And He has a plan and a purpose for you because He knows you and loves you. So allow God to use you just as He chose to use this young girl. Moreover, following God's plan and purpose for your life will bring you a satisfaction beyond what you have ever known.

P.S. We have come to the end of this story and will begin to look at the story "Born For Such A Time As This" in the next post.

                           A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                 AN INSTRUMENT FOR HEALING PART XII

"I, the servant girl in Naaman's household, may not be important in the eyes of the world... But I know that I am important to God.... He sees me.... He has chosen me... He knows that I am weak.... He delights in me being lowly.... It is precisely because of these things that He has chosen to use me... So He will get the glory.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn why God chose this young servant girl in Naaman's household as His instrument....



                 ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                 AN INSTRUMENT FOR HEALING PART XII

Having shown this story for the young girl's viewpoint I would now like for you to look at it from a heavenly viewpoint for God had His eyes on this young girl as you can read in II Chronicles 16:9a

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him....

She may have been a no-body in the eyes of the world but God delights in choosing the weak as you can read in I Corinthians 1:26-29

Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are so that no-one may boast before Him.

And He chose the plans for her life as you can read in Ephesians 2:10

For we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

God knew this young girl personally and watched over her as she continued to trust Him no matter where she was.

                                A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                     AN INSTRUMENT FOR HEALING PART XI

"I, the young servant girl in Naaman's home, was so concerned for my master Naaman... He had become leprous... And no doctor had been able to cure him..... That is why I decided to talk to my mistress about the prophet from my country... Ad I did..... And my master went to my country.... While he was there I kept praying for him..... Today he has returned.... My prayers have been answered!..... He has been healed of his leprosy.... Isn't God good?.... And my master has announced that from now on the whole household will no longer worship any false god but only the Lord!... I am full of joy!.... God has used me, a little no-body, a young girl who had been snatched from her home, to save this important man and his household.... I know too that this would not have happened if I had not gone through the challenges I have been through... What has happened to me was not good but God in His infinite wisdom has been able to bring good out of it.... And I thank and praise Him for it."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that the young servant girl in Naaman's household had a very important role to play in the story of Naaman.


                   ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                     AN INSTRUMENT FOR HEALING PART XI

It seems this story is primarily about two people: Naaman, the soldier, and Elisha, the prophet of God. However, they are not the reason why I have chosen for us to look at this story. I chose this story because of "a young girl in Israel". You see, if not for this young girl, Naaman would not have know about the prophet of God and he would not have received his healing. Therefore, this young girl has a very important role to play in this story. Let's read again what has been written about her in II Kings 5:2-3

Now bands from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel and she served Naaman's wife. She said to her mistress, "If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy."

Now these are only a few lines but there is a story behind these lines that is worth investigating. First of all, you can learn from these few lines that there is a young girl who once lived in a village or a town in Israel where she will have lived at home with her family. Every day she will have gone about her usual business of helping in the home.Then one day a group of enemy soldiers arrived in the village or town where she lived. No doubt, she will have hidden because she will have known that these men will have been up to no good. But to no avail for she is snatched from her home and taken far away to a strange country, where the people speak a different language, have strange customs and most of all serve a false god. And, instead of being a beloved daughter of her parents, she has become the servant of the wife of a man named Naaman. Every day she will have cried as soon as she has gone to bed because she so desperately misses her mother and her father and her brothers and sisters. She will have worried about them for she does not know what has happened to them. She has often prayed to her God to bring her back home but He has not done so. However, she knows that He is taking care of her even in this strange land for He has given her kind people to serve. One day her master becomes ill with leprosy and his condition gets worse and worse. So eventually she dares to speak to her mistress about the prophet of God in her own nation who surely can bring healing to her master. She is very happy when her master does go to her country. And so she waits until his return. And then one day she hears voices outside the house, including the voice of her master, and his voice sounds full of life and strength. So she knows God has healed her master. Right there and then in the middle of the room where she is cleaning she kneels down and thanks God for the miracle that only He could have performed....