“When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.”– Esther 5:2
In the book of Esther, we follow a young girl in a foreign land. She is handpicked from all the beautiful women in the Persia, as one fit for a king. King Xerxes was worshipped in the land of Persia. He was feared so much, that to even enter his line of sight without approval was cause for death. The bible says that he ruled a land that stretched from Ethiopia to India! You should check out a map and see how large that is. It’s incredible. He had conquered much, and so his people held him in high regard. The law stated that to see the king one had to be summoned, and any other means would mean death. King Xerxes was rich and powerful. The book of Esther speaks of the many parties he threw, his riches, and great influence over the people that he ruled over. His words were law indeed, and oh, imagine what kind of person you had to be to get his attention??
The story of Esther and King Xerxes is a beautiful example of what it means to be a true child of God. Many people say “we are all children of God”. It definitely can make anyone feel good, but it isn’t true. God has created us all, but the bible says that he only calls family those who have his Holy Spirit living in their hearts.
For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Webster’s Bible Translation. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, by which we cry, Abba, Father. – Romans 8:15
God made us all, but he only calls a few his friends. He would love to call us all his children, but only a few have laid down their lives and believed in his son Jesus. Xerxes, like God, had many subjects, but only Esther found favor in his sight. The law demanded that she die after appearing before him without summons, but just like you and I when we put on the righteousness of Christ, she was shown grace and favor by a King. Just like Xerxes, God’s holiness and influence are too glorious for us to behold. An earthly king cannot begin to portray it. Sin makes us unworthy of entering into the presence of a righteous King who cannot leave wickedness unpunished. And God can certainly seem very terrible when looked at in that light.
But the same God, like Xerxes stretching out his golden scepter, stretched out his son Jesus Christ to bear the weight of our mistakes for us. His friends. This is what it truly means to be a child of God. We aren’t just one of the subjects of his Kingdom, one out of 7 billion people who are on Earth. We can approach Him, inquire of Him, and know him personally, because of Jesus who stands in our place before God!
Prayer: Lord, help me to understand the kind of love you showed me when you made a way for me to know you! Thank you for dying on the cross for me! Thank you for grace, that I don’t have to do this on my own merit or strength. Help me to walk as you would like me to. I don’t want to abuse the gift you’ve given me. Take me back to the beginning of this relationship if I need it. Rewrite my perspective and renew my mind with your Word, that I will be your true Son, close to you, and a testament of your love. In Jesus name, I pray.