Such
a Time As This
“Yet
who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther
4:14
Esther was allowed entrance into the king’s palace. There she underwent beauty preparations. The church is undergoing spiritual beauty
preparations, to be found fit and ready for her Bridegroom. The beauty preparations included: oil of
myrrh for six months, and perfumes and other beauty preparations for an
additional six months. We see a
similarity in the gospel account of the women with the alabaster jar of
expensive perfume, pouring it over the feet of Jesus and washing his feet with
it. Our beauty preparations are spiritual:
so that we might acquire a spiritual beauty pleasing unto God. Myrrh is symbolic of suffering and death; in
this we learn that we have to die to the flesh in order to live to the Spirit,
and to gain unity within the body of Christ.
Isa. 61:10 indicates that we are “clothed
with garments of salvation and robes of righteousness.” 2 Co. 11:2 finds Paul writing to the church: “We are a chaste virgin to Christ.” The palace is the place of preparation
for the bride. It is in the palace that
we receive expensive and exquisite beauty treatments and bridal preparations of
humility and holiness. Peter calls upon
the Scripture in Leviticus when he writes: “Be
holy, as thou art holy.” 1Peter 1:16. The
called out ones are to put on myrrh, die to the flesh, and receive a robe of righteousness in preparation
for the marriage supper of the Lamb. He
will not return for an unprepared bride!
We are called to be set apart.
Ephesians 5:27 says that “…Christ
loved the church and gave Himself for her; that He might sanctify and cleanse
her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself
a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she
should be holy and without blemish.” Our
Lord desires us to be set apart and cleansed with His exquisitely powerful
combination of the water (Spirit) and the word (truth).
Esther continually found favor in the sight of God and did
what seemed impossible. Church, we have
found favor in the sight of God. Because
of Jesus Christ, we are walking, talking, living, breathing, and favored
children! With God, all things are
possible. Esther got access into places
other people couldn’t. She went places
no one else would dare to go. She risked
her life to save her people. Church – we
have access into places! We have natural
access and we have supernatural access!
Bars can break and walls can shake – all because of access. Esther recognized the favor upon her
life. Do we? Does the church risk its life, or even its
reputation, to save her people? We are
being reminded that favor has been extended to us, and we are exhorted by the
Lord to use it! We are blessed and
highly favored!
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