Clothes - Pt 6

When the turn came for Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter, to go in to the king, she asked for nothing except what Hegai the king's eunuch, who had charge of the women, advised. Now Esther was winning favor in the eyes of all who saw her. And when Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign, the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. Then the king gave a great feast for all his officials and servants; it was Esther's feast. He also granted a remission of taxes to the provinces and gave gifts with royal generosity. (Esther 2:15-18 ESV). Today is a special day for both Kyle and Brandy. It is their 19th wedding anniversary and Brandy’s birthday. It is also a great day for me to emphasize one of the great women of the Bible and a special article of clothing she wore. Most of us are taught at an early age that it’s desirable to be crowned royalty. Children are naturally drawn to the idea of being a king or a queen. Children are drawn to idea of royalty. Young girls often dress up as princesses. Being a real king or queen, however, isn’t all fancy clothes and crown jewels. The Bible consistently warns those who are in authority because God will hold them accountable for how they wield power. In today’s reading, Queen Esther is called upon to save the Jewish people, who are under attack and threatened with genocide. If she approaches the king without his permission, she could be killed. But God gives Esther courage to enter the king’s presence and save her people. Before she goes to the king, her uncle says, “Who knows, perhaps you were made queen now for this very reason?” This year has been a year when I have often thought and said that Brandy certainly was “born for such a time as this.” The construction of our house has been delayed for various reasons for much longer than anyone expected and this has resulted in our living with Kyle and Brandy. All of our children have been supportive of us through the years, but this is certainly a greater sacrifice than any would expect to make. Brandy continues to wear her crown for good. We should wonder the same thing about our positions. We might not wear a crown, but we all have influence. Whatever job we may have, we have the opportunity to use our positions for good. It’s not always easy. Sometimes it requires bravery. But the one we serve above all others is the King of the Universe. Happy Anniversary to Kyle and Brandy… and Happy Birthday Brandy! She is certainly a queen in our eyes!