This Is The Moment Esther 4

by Sharon McConnell

Title

This Is The Moment Esther 4

Artist

Sharon McConnell

Medium

Photograph - Digital Art, Photography, Text,

Description

I love this encouraging message from the history of the courageous and beautiful queen Esther, and paired it with an image of a blooming magnolia. The bloom is vibrant, fragrant, and bold, and brings the hope of spring and new beginnings.

The Bible book of Esther is a dramatic account which can give us insight into God’s special and purposeful plan for our lives. The story gives us six powerful lessons about courage, divine timing and God’s supreme love, that we can each apply to our living.

1) God has a plan for our lives
2) We are given divine moments to alter circumstances
3) We must stand with courage
4) Fasting and prayer brings clarity and hope for deliverance
5) God demands obedience
6) God uses everything and everybody for his divine purpose

If this has peaked your interest, here is the account of how Esther saved a nation:

As scripture reveals, Esther is a Jewish woman living in Persia and reared by her cousin Mordecai. She was taken to the King of the Persian Empire, Ahasuerus, (commonly identified as Xerxes I, reigned 486–465 BCE) to become a part of his harem—but because there was something special about Esther, he made her queen. Mordecai, however, didn’t tell the king about a major detail—Esther’s Jewish heritage.

I imagine Esther as a drop-dead gorgeous woman with flawless olive skin and a tantalizing personality. She charmed King Xerxes so much that after deposing his prior queen, he could have chosen any woman he wanted—but he chose Esther.

Of course there is a scoundrel in the story, too. Haman is a vengeful and egotistical advisor to the king. He hated Mordecai for refusing to bow down to him, so he plotted to destroy the Jewish people. Haman told the king, “There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom whose customs are different from those of all other people and who do not obey the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them” (Esther 3:8 NIV). The king gave him authority to handle the fate of the Jewish people. In return, Haman announced a government-issued edict of genocide.

What could queen Esther do for her people? The king had not requested her presence in a month. Did his affection for her wane? Of all the Jews, only Esther had access to the king. Mordecai persuaded Esther to speak to the king on behalf of the Jewish people reminding her of her unique place in history and that silence is not an option. In one of the most poetic Biblical passages, Mordecai speaks of God’s purposeful timing: “Who knows but that you have come to a royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 NIV). In other words, Mordecai lets Esther know that even her outer beauty was for a reason and would not go to waste!

Esther knew, of course, that going to the king unsolicited could be her death sentence. Anyone who came into the king’s presence without being summoned could be executed. So what does she do? Before making a life or death decision, she calls for the Jewish people to join her on a 3-day fast. Following the fast she put on her best royal robes, approached the king, and told him of Haman's plot against her people.

The Jewish people were saved, Haman was hanged on the same gallows that had been prepared for Mordecai, and Esther received Haman’s estate. This dramatic unfolding of events moves like a novel and played like a great chess game with several life lessons. You can read it for yourself in the Bible; the book of Esther.

NOTE: WATERMARK WILL NOT APPEAR ON PURCHASED ITEMS!
Copyright 2020 Sharon McConnell; all rights reserved.

Honors:
2nd place win in the 'Text Art' contest
- A Woman's Touch / 07/28/2023

Featured in these Fine Art groups:
Canon Full Frame Cameras - 05/10/2020
Text Art - 05/10/2020
Christian Art & Photography - 05/11/2020
Praising God - 05/13/2020
Lady Photographers And Artists - 05/15/2020
Images That Excite You - 08/11/2020
Macro Marvels - 08/11/2020
Your Story Of Art - 08/11/2020
Just Perfect - 08/13/2020
Whats New - 08/14/2020
Midwest America Photography - 10/2020

Uploaded

May 10th, 2020

Statistics

Viewed 3,750 Times  -  Last Visitor from Romeo, MI on 04/13/2024 at 8:09 AM

Colors

Embed

Share

Sales Sheet

Tags