Richard Roberts
Have you ever read the story of Esther in the Bible and wondered what it means to you and me today?
If you recall the Book of Esther, she was a young Jewish woman who was chosen by the king of Persia to be his queen. When a man named Haman hatched a plot to destroy all the Jews in the land, Esther went before the king to plead for the lives of her people. That was no small thing, because the law said no one could come before the king unless he had summoned him or her or they would be killed. Esther was literally taking her life in her hands as she went before him that day.
When she presented herself before the king, he must have been struck by her beauty. This woman was not only beautiful on the outside, but also on the inside. He stretched out his golden scepter to her, which was a signal of his acceptance. It was a scepter of righteousness, of comfort, and of guidance. Really, it was a scepter of the Holy Spirit. The king was saying, “Come forth and touch the scepter, and you’ll have access to all my power.” And that is what the Holy Spirit is saying to you and me today.
But I want you to notice that in order for Esther to touch the scepter, she had to get close to the king. And if you and I want to have the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we’re going to have to get close to the Lord. When you get right up on His lap, He takes out His big, celestial handkerchief, dries your tears, and tells you how much He loves you. When Esther got up close to the king, he accepted her, and granted her request to spare her people. When you get up close to your Heavenly Father, you can expect Him to accept you and grant your requests too!
