SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22
Esther 2:8
Matthew 10:29-31

"For His eye is on the sparrow,
and I know He watches me."

A PIN IN THE HAYSTACK

The king’s command had reached all the 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia (Esther 1:1). The command was to gather together all the fair young virgins to the Shushan palace. Esther 2:8 tells us that "many maidens were gathered." "Many" denotes abundance in numbers. There only seemed to be the criterion of physical beauty, but no limitations as to how many would be gathered. The word "gather" has the idea of assembling by collecting into one location. It is like heaping into one bunch. In other words, we see that out of the hundreds of thousands of young maidens from far and wide, only these were selected, and then bundled into Shushan. And there was a specific purpose. Among these, the particular maiden that pleased the king most would be the one who would be picked to be Queen Vashti’s replacement. It was a funnelling process, to eventually choose that very one which would cheer the forlorn king. It is highlighted here that it was in this process "that Esther was brought also unto the king’s house." Out of the many in the nation’s "beauty pageant," Esther was also among them.

That Esther was among the many was certainly no coincidence or chance. This "beauty queen" search resulted from Vashti’s actions, Ahasuerus’ loneliness, and his servants’ proposal for a replacement queen. But still, with so many selected, would Esther be picked? We know she was. This is literally like being able to find a pin in a haystack. And this pin in the haystack was placed strategically by God to be found at the right time and right place. We sometimes worry because we wonder whether, out of so many course or job candidates, will we be selected? Out of so many school applicants, will my child be chosen? Or amidst so many Christians, can God bring the right person into my life to be my spouse? Or in the midst of many troubles brewing in life, is God aware and working? Let us remember the lesson here. If it were God’s will, we need not worry about being lost in the haystack.

THOUGHT: Am I worrying about where I will be, what I will do?
PRAYER: Lord, I thank Thee for Thou always know what is ahead.

Posted in Adult RPG