He set the royal crown

Esther 1 - 4

Do you know that in the concentration camps Hitler and other leaders feared this story?  Hitler banned the story from being read.  The people wrote it from memory and shared the story over and over about God's love for His people.  

Some people don't like the story of Esther being in the Bible, but I see God's hand throughout the story.  His name isn't mentioned, but He is throughout the story!  You see and feel Him throughout working out the details to save His people through a young woman no one would have known existed  ~ without God!  God uses the most unlikely to change the world.

One moment before the king that changed a young woman from ordinary into a queen.  Do you know that she had been prepared for this moment for over 1 year?  It wasn't easy either.  It wasn't like 365 days of spa days!  Nope.  

A few things I learned when I read the wonderful book by Tommy Tenney - Finding Favor with the King ~

 Middle Eastern cultures focus on smells.  Tommy shared women from this area lay out their clothes on latticework and they have trays underneath the clothes and that they have incense burners to fragrance their clothes.  Their clothes are saturated in the fragrances before they even put them on!  Listen to this they even stand "crouching naked" over a burner that is a cosmetic burner with things such as roses with a robe draped like a tent over them.  Esther went through some very interesting procedures.

The first six months were cleansing Esther of all toxins.  She was constantly bathed in and oiled in these fragrances that softened her skin and the fragrance would have just "oozed".  The second six months she was immersed and saturated with sweet spices.  Tommy wrote beautifully that Esther was practicing worship being soaked in the fragrances and oils of the Lord and prepared for her special moment with the king.  One moment that changed the world.

Esther was prepared and ready for her moment!  She trusted and she believed and God used her in a Mighty Way!

Are you prepared for your moment?  Are you willing?

Sweet blessings,

Debbie