Today’s scripture: Esther 2:1-18 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Penny Dean):
Primping may not be a uniquely feminine art, but there are plenty of women who keep others waiting while they are preparing themselves. I know; I have waited for them.
My elderly mother is one of these fashionistas. Mom gets up every Sunday morning at 5:30 although church doesn’t start until 9 and is only a 15 minute drive away. She needs all this time because she changes her mind about what to wear at least twice before walking out the door. By the time Mom is ready, it is 8:40 and clothes cover her bed. As one of her friends said to me, “Your mother is quite the dresser.” And she didn’t mean a piece of furniture.
Three hours doesn’t seem so long when compared to the year Esther spent preparing for her presentation to King Xerxes. Half of this year was devoted to oil of myrrh treatments and the other half to perfumes and cosmetics (v.12). The passage doesn’t record how much time was spent on clothing, hair, or deportment. Since Esther had already won over Hegai, the eunuch in charge of the virgins, I wonder two things: (1) was this “makeover” really necessary, and (2) how fantastic was Esther by the time her preparatory year was up?
Given the fact that Esther was competing with many other beautiful young virgins who would also be undergoing the same beauty treatments, her year of preparation must have been essential. All of these women were sequestered together so they knew their competitors’ flaws and strengths. The atmosphere must have been intense!
By the time Esther was presented to the king, she “won the favor of everyone who saw her” and “the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval” (v.17 NIV). Esther must have been magnificent — not only beautiful, but charming, elegant, and poised. This was more than a case of “what not to wear.” Esther had to know how to behave, how to speak, and how to be. As a result of her intense year of training, she had all the qualities Xerxes needed and wanted in a queen.
A year can feel like a day or ten years. I’m sure there were days or even minutes that seemed to Esther to stretch on forever. And there were undoubtedly days that passed quickly. Regardless of how a year feels, it is still composed of twelve months, or fifty-two weeks, or 365 days, or 525,600 minutes. It measures the same. What matters is what you do with the time you are given. God used that year to prepare Esther for greatness and every moment was essential.
Thought for the day: How is God preparing you for greatness? How can you be more patient with this process?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.