I can almost imagine the scene…
A beautifully decorated table adorned with all the king’s favorites. From first course to last course, every detail of this important night was purposely planned and executed. Esther was a queen who knew her king, and her king liked banquets. He liked them a lot, actually.
So what better way to speak to her king on her people’s behalf than to first invite him and his buddy to a special meal! Come on girls, we all know one of the best ways to our men’s hearts is through their stomachs! Esther was no fool.
But something happened that night at the banquet. Somewhere between appetizers and dessert, Esther sensed God guiding her to wait in sharing her request with the king. Imagine how hard that must have been! The pressure of thousands of men, women and children’s lives were at stake. Her words had to be perfect, the meal flawless. Everything needed to go exactly as planned…and then it didn’t. Personally, in situations like this, I’d just as rather get it over with than extend the agony of waiting one more day and planning one more dinner party. But not Esther. She was a woman who was willing to wait on the Lord, even if it didn’t make sense to her at the time. Her trust was firmly planted in God, in His will, and in His timing. She was willing to wait if that was what her Lord was guiding her to do.
And so she waited.
“If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.” Esther 5:8
Esther was a queen who knew the power of when to speak and when to remain quiet.
“A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in setting of silver.” Proverbs 25:11
The right words said at the right time, in the right setting… that’s what Esther was aiming for. Sometimes we know what needs to be said, but the timing is off. Esther felt God press the delay button and so she postponed her request.
“God put it into Esther’s heart to delay her petition a day longer; she knew not, but God did, what was to happen in that very night.”- Matthew Henry
God was busy working in Esther’s period of waiting.
He does the same for us.
Sweet friend, don’t be discouraged if you are in a season of waiting. Don’t lose heart if you feel like God has had you press the “pause” button. Maybe it’s the desire to get married, but the right guy hasn’t come into your life yet. Or maybe it’s the desire to start a family, yet God hasn’t blessed you with a child. Maybe, just maybe, it’s in the silence, the unanswered prayers, the delay…in the pause of life that God is working behind the scenes, writing an amazing turn of events story that is yet to be revealed.
Sometimes I think God does some of His best work in the “pauses” of our lives.
Don’t lose heart, sweet sister, if you are in a “pause”…you never know what God’s tomorrow will bring.
A sleepless night was on the horizon and an amazing turn of events was in the works.
Let’s Talk: What has God taught you in the “pauses” of your life? Let’s encourage each other today!
Love God Greatly!
____________________________________________________
Did you know when you purchase a Love God Greatly journal you are helping us:
1. Create more ongoing Bible studies.
2. Allow us to generously give God’s Word away around the world, equipping women, small churches and ministries who would otherwise not be able to afford these valuable Bible studies.
THANK YOU for your partnership and support! TOGETHER we are helping to change the world…one Bible study, one translation, one woman at a time!
Grab your new journal today in our online store!
Looking for our online Bible study group to join? You can find our Love God Greatly Online Bible Study group here!
This devotional is so timely. I was all set to move forward with a business opportunity that could potentially be very successful plus I need something to do with my time as my kids are now grown, I don’t want to just sit around the house all day and you can only clean it so many times! I sensed however that God was telling me to wait and it was confirmed by 3 trusted people in my life at 3 separate conversations. So here I wait trusting the Lord. This devotional encourages me so much! Thank you!
Thank you Ms. Angela for sharing this…it is so timely.
“it’s in the silence, the unanswered prayers, the delay…in the pause of life that God is working behind the scenes, writing an amazing turn of events story that is yet to be revealed.”
I am very excited on this. Let us just entrust to God everything. Things that are worth having are worth waiting for.
God bless us all.
My waiting right now is so painful. It often feels like He doesn’t hear me, like He doesn’t see how easy it would be to fix this. And yet, things are far from “fixed”, and I’m still just waiting. The pain is overwhelming & my heart is broken. I continue to trust. My hope is in the Lord, and I know He is working in a mighty way. But, time continues to pass without answers. I’m discouraged at times, but am reminded of His providence. I look forward to a day when it all makes sense.
Living a human life, being able to associate with a trusted person, has been a great blessing. On the way of life, there is such a reliable person, how precious it is.
Walking in the wilderness/waiting season now. We are in ministry and waiting for God’s direction for the next step. Thank you for the bible study.