Day 2: If You Can't Trace His Hand.....
Focal Scripture: "On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown, in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely to look at. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command delivered by the eunuchs. At this the king became enraged, and his anger burned within him."
Esther 1:10-12 ESV
Welcome back! I'm so so so excited. Let's not waste any time....
Queen Vashti.
We met her on Tuesday.
She's not a very popular queen, but I kind of like her.
Why?
Because I believe her refusal to show up and be praised for her beauty opened the door for the hidden young lady, the future queen with a purpose to be seen.
As we studied on Tuesday, although our name is on the book, so to speak, there are places where God strategically hides our name.
Today, we're going to focus on the fact that although God's name isn't in the book of Esther, His name and hands are on it.
Sis., listen, we've all had seasons where it seems as though God has forgotten about us. This one is getting promoted and that one is getting married and Susie is getting her 12th degree and Rebecca Is ministering to nations. We've all had seasons where we silently questioned if our living for the Lord is indeed in vain. But the devil, his aunties and cousins are liars.
Please Read:
Isaiah 49:15-16
Psalms 121
1 Peter 3:12a
1 Timothy 4:7b-8
I don't care what it looks like or what people say, there is truly a reward for those who live for God (Psalm 58:11 NLT)! God has not, nor will He ever forget, leave, or forsake you! He will continue to keep you, hear, answer your prayers and manifest His promises in due time.
So sister, be not deceived. Godliness is STILL profitable!!!
Charles Spurgeon once said, "God is too good to be unkind, and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, WE MUST TRUST HIS HEART." Sis, you may or may not can trace God's hand in this season, but trust me, just like we're seeing today on the pages of scripture, God, although He may not be "apparent" is shifting some things. He's making room for you. Your job is to trust Him to complete the work He started in you. Your job is to delight yourself in Him and trust Him to give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. Your job is to walk by faith and not by sight. Your job is to stay with God.
You must learn to trust God's timing, sis.!
Don't take matters into your own hands, creating a bunch of "Ishmaels" (Genesis 16).
Remember that it's usually when you feel like He's doing nothing, that He's doing the most (like not just preparing you, but also preparing that place, that job, that husband, that ministry, etc., just for YOU)!
Esther 1:10-12 ESV
Welcome back! I'm so so so excited. Let's not waste any time....
Queen Vashti.
We met her on Tuesday.
She's not a very popular queen, but I kind of like her.
Why?
Because I believe her refusal to show up and be praised for her beauty opened the door for the hidden young lady, the future queen with a purpose to be seen.
As we studied on Tuesday, although our name is on the book, so to speak, there are places where God strategically hides our name.
Today, we're going to focus on the fact that although God's name isn't in the book of Esther, His name and hands are on it.
Sis., listen, we've all had seasons where it seems as though God has forgotten about us. This one is getting promoted and that one is getting married and Susie is getting her 12th degree and Rebecca Is ministering to nations. We've all had seasons where we silently questioned if our living for the Lord is indeed in vain. But the devil, his aunties and cousins are liars.
Please Read:
Isaiah 49:15-16
Psalms 121
1 Peter 3:12a
1 Timothy 4:7b-8
I don't care what it looks like or what people say, there is truly a reward for those who live for God (Psalm 58:11 NLT)! God has not, nor will He ever forget, leave, or forsake you! He will continue to keep you, hear, answer your prayers and manifest His promises in due time.
So sister, be not deceived. Godliness is STILL profitable!!!
Charles Spurgeon once said, "God is too good to be unkind, and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, WE MUST TRUST HIS HEART." Sis, you may or may not can trace God's hand in this season, but trust me, just like we're seeing today on the pages of scripture, God, although He may not be "apparent" is shifting some things. He's making room for you. Your job is to trust Him to complete the work He started in you. Your job is to delight yourself in Him and trust Him to give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. Your job is to walk by faith and not by sight. Your job is to stay with God.
You must learn to trust God's timing, sis.!
Don't take matters into your own hands, creating a bunch of "Ishmaels" (Genesis 16).
Remember that it's usually when you feel like He's doing nothing, that He's doing the most (like not just preparing you, but also preparing that place, that job, that husband, that ministry, etc., just for YOU)!
You may be saying, "Raven, I'm trying to trust God and stay in faith, but I've been experiencing attack after attack....and it's just plain hard."
Please read Exodus 1:8-17
Pharaoh didn't know that God would use one of those sweet baby boys to deliver the Israelites, but he knew that if he let those baby boys live, they would continue to grow stronger and stronger and possibly defeat his kingdom.
Likewise with us, the enemy doesn't know all things, but he knows who is for him and who is against him. Sister, satan doesn't know your whole story or the totality of your calling, but he can sense or in some cases see who Is or will be a threat to his kingdom and sis., that's what you are. You're a threat to the kingdom of darkness. That's why the enemy is trying his best to discourage, distract, hinder, etc., you.
"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ"
1 Corinthians 15:57 NIV
One more thing.....
If you look at Exodus 2, you see the birth of Moses, but all through chapter 1, although there was no mention of Moses, God was indeed at work through some midwives......
".....the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live." Exodus 1:17 ESV
Their obedience to God and their God given courage, was making room for Moses to come into the world and be the great deliverer he was called to be.
Please read Esther 1:13-15, 19
".....And let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she."
Esther 1:19 ESV
Sister, it may sound redundant, but I want you to believe with all of your heart, that in spite of the season, that God's hand is on you and your story. I want you to have so much faith. perseverance, and courage knowing that no plot of the enemy can trump the plan of God.
And last, I want you to rest in the fact that one person's no, could indeed be your divine yes and one person's obedience to God, could be making room for you too (That's why we must all be in position. There are people connected to our obedience!!! There is also ALWAYS a blessing on the other side of our obedience...not just for us, but for those who are called to be influenced/connected to us).
Again sister....
You are a queen with a purpose.
God is perfecting those things that concern you. He is protecting, covering, and preparing you. If you can't trace His hand, trust HIS HEART and HIS INTENTIONS toward you, for they are ALWAYS good, because HE IS ALWAYS GOOD.
I wonder.....
I wonder what Esther was doing while Queen Vashti was Queen? I wonder did she ever think that God would one day put a crown on her head and a purpose in her heart? Maybe, maybe not....but God knew, and sister, He knows about YOU too!
As we conclude, again take your prayer journal out or just pray. Pour out your heart to Jesus. Let Him fill you up till you overflow today. He loves you and has not, nor will He ever forget about you. You were born an overcomer. Your story will end in victory....because of Him.
Have a fabulous rest of the week and weekend!:)
".....And let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she."
Esther 1:19 ESV
Sister, it may sound redundant, but I want you to believe with all of your heart, that in spite of the season, that God's hand is on you and your story. I want you to have so much faith. perseverance, and courage knowing that no plot of the enemy can trump the plan of God.
And last, I want you to rest in the fact that one person's no, could indeed be your divine yes and one person's obedience to God, could be making room for you too (That's why we must all be in position. There are people connected to our obedience!!! There is also ALWAYS a blessing on the other side of our obedience...not just for us, but for those who are called to be influenced/connected to us).
Again sister....
You are a queen with a purpose.
God is perfecting those things that concern you. He is protecting, covering, and preparing you. If you can't trace His hand, trust HIS HEART and HIS INTENTIONS toward you, for they are ALWAYS good, because HE IS ALWAYS GOOD.
I wonder.....
I wonder what Esther was doing while Queen Vashti was Queen? I wonder did she ever think that God would one day put a crown on her head and a purpose in her heart? Maybe, maybe not....but God knew, and sister, He knows about YOU too!
As we conclude, again take your prayer journal out or just pray. Pour out your heart to Jesus. Let Him fill you up till you overflow today. He loves you and has not, nor will He ever forget about you. You were born an overcomer. Your story will end in victory....because of Him.
Have a fabulous rest of the week and weekend!:)