Favor Ain't Fair

God’s favor is about to manifest on an explosive level in your life because you are connected to his plan. When you are connected to his divine purpose, he will do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that you can ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). And one of the ways to recognize that you are walking in God’s perfect will for your life is that the people around you will begin to show extraordinary favor or unusual hatred towards you. It is so important to be careful how you treat people because you never know who God is going to use.

The story of Esther is one of the most powerful examples of the favor of God at work to accomplish his plan. Esther was one of the virgins chosen to go before the king, Xerxes, who was searching for a queen. Esther was very beautiful, but she was an orphan girl, raised by her cousin, Mordecai, and a foreigner. And besides all this, she was a Jew. The Jews were so despised in the Persian empire that Mordecai insisted that Esther keep her nationality and background a secret. Esther listened to his advice and followed his directions, “just as she did when she lived in his home” (Esther 2:20 NLT).

Finally, it was time for her to go to the king’s palace, “and she was admired by everyone who saw her” (verse 15). That is unusual favor. Everyone who saw her admired her. This is exactly what God did in the life of Joseph. When Joseph stood before Pharaoh, the Bible says he had favor with Pharoah and all his officials (Genesis 41:37). You know that is nothing but God when everyone is on one accord.

So, Esther went before the king, and “she was given her choice of whatever clothing or jewelry she wanted to take from the harem” (verse 13). There is a certain protocol to obey when entering the presence of a king. Esther was wise, and “she accepted the advice of Hegai, the eunuch in charge of the harem. She asked for nothing except what he suggested” (verse 15). She showed the eunuch the same respect she showed Mordecai, trusting their experience. God will first prove you behind the scenes before he can trust you on stage, so be faithful with the seemingly small responsibilities, and he will exalt you.

When the king saw Esther, he was blown away like I was when I first saw Pastor Aimee. “And the king loved Esther more than any of the other young women. He was so delighted with her that he set the royal crown on her head and declared her queen…” (verse 16).

In the meantime, the king’s most powerful official, Haman, was devising a plot against the Jews. Haman was a wicked man, and Mordecai refused to bow down to him, so Haman decided to ask the king to kill Mordecai and all the Jews in the empire. Unknown to Haman, Mordecai was Esther’s cousin, and he had saved the king’s life. Mordecai had overheard a plot to assassinate the king, and he quickly told Esther who informed the king.

Look at God. He had Esther in the right place at the right time to deliver his people. When Haman tricked the king into signing the decree to exterminate all the Jews in the empire, Esther asked her people to fast and pray for her for three days. Anyone who went before the king without being invited was immediately put to death unless the king held out his gold scepter, so Esther risked her life when she entered his court to plead for her people’s lives.

When the king saw her, “he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her” (Esther 5:2). “What do you want, Queen Esther?” he asked, “What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!” Esther invited the king and Haman to a banquet, and on the second day of the banquet, she exposed Haman’s plot. The king was enraged when he found out Haman’s intentions, and Haman’s plan backfired on him. The king ordered Haman to be hanged on the gallows he set up for Mordecai. Your enemy is about to fall into his own trap. No weapon formed against you will prosper (Isaiah 54:17).

God used Haman’s wicked scheme to bless the Jews, and the king gave Mordecai Haman’s house and position. Most importantly, God used Esther to preserve the Jews to preserve the coming of the Messiah. When you are connected to God’s plan, his favor will go before you, and you will receive blessings that don’t make sense. It doesn’t matter if you are considered the least in your family like Gideon, young like David, old like Abraham, abused like Joseph, a foreigner like Ruth, or an orphan like Esther; God has chosen you for such a time as this. And he will use you to fulfill his purpose. Favor ain’t fair!
 
God bless,
Pastors Sean and Aimee Pinder