A Response Fit For a Queen

"And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"

I wonder if these words rocked Esther's world.

We know it changed the course of her destiny. In fact, the lives of her people were spared because of her response to these words.

Imagine if she responded differently. 

I read Esther's story, and I see glimpses of huge destiny lessons to be learnt:

2:12 -> Preparation is key. The outcome is uncertain, the competition extreme, therefore spare nothing but give it the best you've got. It takes a drawn-out process to "become". The preparation takes longer than that anticipated moment of victory, but still very necessary. So, be extravagant in training. No shortcuts. 

2:15 -> Trust God's favor to work wonders. You've gone through the process of preparation, so when God says you're ready you are. Trying to impress people by bringing more than required would be a bad idea. Leave behind what isn't needed, take only what Holy Spirit says to take. Less is more.

2:16 -> There's no better timing than divine timing. When the hands of the clock (as a figure of speech, of course) are rightly positioned, the fullness of time has come. Completeness. Perfection. And only God knows exactly when. Be aware of timing and on the lookout for His appointed times. 

2:17 -> Don't underestimate people. Sometimes those we never expected to "turn out well" do. The quiet, unassuming ones. The wallflowers. The plain-faced ones. The backbenchers. With the right ingredients, i.e. preparation + God's favor + divine timing, you would be surprised!

2:18 -> Watch and learn. For the king to give a great banquet for Esther was a culturally significant gesture, particularly with those he invited to join at table to share their meal. He was making a statement. Esther would later prepare two  banquets for the king and her enemy Haman (5:4, 8). She interpreted the culture, and was intentional in communication.

Been pondering on our identity as kings and priests (1 Pet 2:9-10). Heard a powerfully whispered message recently by Bob Sorge that highlighted Esther's banquets to me. She prepared two banquets, knowing full well that she would invite both the king (her husband) and Haman (her nemesis). Why twice??? Could it be that she felt one banquet wasn't enough because she wanted to make sure the king was affirmed of her affection for him, that she was not challenging his kingly decree like Vashti did, that she fully respected him for his decisions and wasn't questioning his wisdom? Could it be that she knew the best way to tackle Haman was to have her beloved act on her behalf out of mutual trust, that she could expose her enemy for the king to take him on, without him feeling she is defying his royal decree?

If that is true, if that is why Esther thought it wise to lavish her love on her king before exposing the enemy and asking he be disposed of, then we can approach tough times in a totally different way. When you face tough times, and you wonder if the source was God or the devil or you brought it on yourself, think about the 2 banquets. Sure, circumstances in your life - including the super-hate-able ones, could be caused by the devil or yourself, but ultimately it's God who either allows / instigates them. Really. 

So how do you make your case to the One who is responsible for the opposition you face in life? 

How do you take on the enemy without challenging the King's wisdom? 

How do you respond when a crisis happens, when you know the enemy is involved, but God is involved in it too?

Imagine if you responded differently.