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Being yourself

Words of Faith Final

Being yourself

Words of Faith 6-2-2021

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2008, 2021

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

www.faithfellowshipweb.com

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Esther 2

         [15] When the turn came for Esther (the girl Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king's eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her. [16] She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

    [17] Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. [18] And the king gave a great banquet, Esther's banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.

 

       Finally, the time of preparation was over and Esther was to go to the King.  Esther was permitted to ask for any sort of ornament, jewelry, apparel, or cosmetic that she thought would enhance her appeal to the King, but she asked for nothing extra. No special makeover.  No designer outfit.  She wore what she was given by Hegei.  The remarkable thing was that she impressed not only the King but she "won the favor of everyone who saw her." 

       Is it possible that the thing Esther learned in the Shaashgaz Spa was the real meaning of beauty?  Is it even possible that in these two years Esther had learned to trust her future to the hands of the Lord?  Sometimes it takes a visit to a makeup party to discover that cosmetics are only skin deep.

        Now don't misunderstand.  There is nothing at all wrong with make-up or a flattering hairstyle.  But there is a basic truth here.  Be yourself.  You are the only you that God has so be yourself.  God wants to use you uniquely based upon who He made you to be, not anyone you emulate or admire.  So don't transform yourself; let God transform you. Trust God that He will give you the gifts and graces needed for every task He puts before you.  God likes it that way!

        Interestingly, God chose Moses, a man with a shaky past and a speech impediment, to lead His people out of slavery and bring His Law.  He chose Gideon to deliver the Israelites from the Midianites even though he was the smallest guy in the littlest family of the tiniest tribe.  He chose a little fellow named David to slay the giant Goliath.  If Moses had tried to be his brother Aaron, he would have missed the plan.  And if Gideon had tried to lead a big army because he felt small, he would have missed the plan.  And if David had gone into battle wearing Saul's armor, he would have fallen in a pathetic heap... and missed God's plan. 

        Have you been trying to be someone else?  Putting on some Christian cosmetics?  Taking along extra spiritual adornment or apparel?  Putting on what you think is the right language or mannerism or worship gesture or bumper sticker?  Getting with God's program means being yourself.  You are who He wants to get to know.  You are who He wants to share through.  You are who He has chosen to choose in a unique place called-- your life!

 

        Lord, thank You for making me who I am.  I rejoice that You have said I am beautifully and wonderfully made.  I am walking with You today.  YOU are all that I need.  In Jesus' name.

Amen.

 

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2008, 2021

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)       

2820 Business Center Blvd.

Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.