“So it was, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter.” — Esther 5:2
There is something powerful about the favor of God. We can work hard, gain knowledge, develop our skills, build relationships, and prepare ourselves, but there are moments in life when we discover that effort alone is not enough. There are doors that only God can open, opportunities that only God can create, and situations where we need something beyond our ability. We need the favor of the Lord. Without His favor, we can labor and labor and still find ourselves standing outside the door. But when God’s favor rests upon us, He can make a way where there seemed to be no way.
I was thinking about Esther today because years back, Auntie Jane, who I fondly call, My Daughter, coz am named after their Father, told my mother how much I love speaking from the Book of Esther. They even joked that when I get to heaven, I will probably want to meet Esther herself. That conversation somehow brought me back to this remarkable story and especially to Esther 5:2, where Scripture says that Esther found favor in the sight of the king.
But Esther did not walk into that court without fear. She understood the danger. In Esther 4:16, she declared, “I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.” She had reached a place where obedience had become greater than fear. She knew what was at stake. Her people were facing destruction, and she understood that perhaps God had positioned her for that very moment.
She did not know what the king would say. She could not control his response. She could only step forward in obedience and trust God with the outcome. Esther could not control the king’s reaction. She could only control her obedience. She stepped into the court, and then she had to trust God with the outcome.
That is an important lesson for us because sometimes we become so consumed with trying to control the outcome that we forget our responsibility is simply to obey God. We want to know what will happen before we take the step. We want guarantees before we move. We want the entire map before we begin the journey.
But faith does not always give us the whole map. Sometimes faith simply gives us enough light for the next step.
Esther walked into the court without knowing exactly how the king would respond. She had prepared herself, but she could not prepare his heart. She had fasted, but she could not manufacture his response. She had courage, but courage alone could not guarantee her safety. What she needed was favor.
And when the king saw her, he extended the golden scepter.
That scepter represented access. It represented permission. It represented mercy. Esther had approached a place where she could have been rejected, but instead, she was welcomed. She could have been condemned, but instead, she received an invitation to come closer
There are moments when God will bring us to the edge of something that looks frightening, and we have to trust that His favor will meet us there. You may be standing before a situation right now that you did not choose. You may be facing a decision that makes you uncomfortable. You may be waiting for an answer that is completely outside your control. You may be looking at a door and wondering whether it will open. You may be standing in a place where the odds seem to be against you.
I came to remind you that the presence of difficulty does not mean the absence of God.
May we find favor in the sight of the Lord. May God’s favor go before us into places we have never been. May His favor speak for us when we do not have the words. May His favor open doors that our qualifications could not open. May His favor cause hearts to turn toward us and circumstances to work together according to His purpose.
Esther teaches us that favor does not always mean we will avoid difficult situations. Sometimes favor is what meets us when we step into them. The danger was still real. The threat against the Jews was still real. But God’s favor was greater than the threat.
And that is why we should never be afraid to approach God and ask for His favor. Scripture tells us, “Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened unto you.” We have not because we ask not. There are things we carry that God is inviting us to bring before Him.
There are doors we are afraid to knock on because we are already imagining rejection. But God says, Ask. Seek. Knock.
Esther prepared herself, she fasted, she prayed, and then she stepped forward. That reminds us that faith and preparation belong together. Pray, but prepare. Trust God, but do your part. Believe for the opportunity, but be ready when it comes. Ask God for the door, but also ask Him to give you the wisdom and character to walk through it.
So from today, do not walk in fear. Walk in faith. Do not allow uncertainty to paralyze you. You may not know what tomorrow holds, but you know who holds tomorrow. You may not know who will say yes, but you know the One who can turn hearts. You may not know which door will open, but you know the One who holds the keys.
May His favor be your shield. May His favor go before you. May His favor be your rear guard. May His grace give you courage when fear tells you to retreat, and may His presence remind you that you never walk into a difficult place alone.
