Before You Go In
30 Days in Ruth and Esther - day 25
As we read chapter five, it is helpful to reflect on what we just saw in chapter four. Esther was uncertain as to how things would go. We may not fully understand the culture and laws of that time, but it is clear that when chapter five begins, she was at the mercy of the king.
It does seem that Esther was helped by the way she approached him. She dressed respectfully. She didn’t make demands. Instead, she stood humbly at a distance. Her desire for an audience was clear, but not showy or forceful.
We can point to those things as possible influences on the king’s response, but there is another factor that is far more important, even though it is not directly stated.
We have to go back again to chapter four and remember the preparation that came before this moment. There was physical preparation in chapter five—the royal robes—but there was also spiritual preparation beforehand.
Esther and the others fasted for three days. While the text does not explicitly say it, it is clearly more than a physical fast. It was a time of seeking the favor of God.
There is an important lesson here for us. Like Esther, we cannot control the decisions other people make, even when those decisions affect us deeply. We can do everything within our power to influence the outcome, but in the end, it is still out of our hands.
That is why the wise path is to begin with spiritual preparation before we rely on human effort.
You may be seeking a new job. You should prepare well. Dress appropriately. Present yourself as best you can. But before all of that, seek the Lord’s favor. Ask for His will to be done. Go forward in faith, believing your life is in His hands.
Proverbs tells us that the king’s heart is like water in the Lord’s hand, and He turns it wherever He wishes.
If that is true of kings, how much more is it true of a supervisor, a teacher, a spouse, or a neighbor.
Seek the favor of the Lord before you seek the favor of man, and you may find that God grants you favor in both.
