Esther: Ordinary and Yet Chosen

I absolutely love the book of Esther and about a month ago I decided to read through Esther for my devotional time.  I never imagined that God would speak so many simple truths to me through this book.  It started for me in chapter 2:

Lesson 1:  An Ordinary Girl

Esther 2:8 "So it came about when the command and decree of the king were heard and many young ladies were gathered to Susa the capital into the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken to the kings palace into the custody of Hegai, who was in charge of the women."

Esther was just like all the other girls.  All of them gathered together from their homes and taken to the palace as a potential spouse for the King.  Who knows how they must have been feeling?  Scared.  Uncertain.  Alone.  Angry.  Excited.  Expectant.  Maybe a bit of all of these combined.  I used to think the girls must of been very upset about being taken.  Maybe they were.  The choice was not up to them.  They were simply teenage girls taken from their parents.  Who knows whether they were already in love; saddened and heart broken because their lives were being changed.  And yet, on the other hand, maybe they were excited.  After all, they were taken from their homes; the Bible doesn't specify whether these girls came from wealthy homes, but I can't imagine their ordinary homes were anything like the lavish lifestyle they were soon to experience at the palace. 

We do know, though, that Esther was an orphan raised by her cousin Mordecai.  We know Mordecai cared for Esther like she was his own daughter, loved her, and had deep concern for her well being.  But other than that, we know very little about Esther.  She was just an ordinary girl.  And yet, she found favor and she was chosen, hand picked by God, for a very special reason.  And this is the part I love!

Ordinary and yet chosen.  Ordinary and yet favored.  Ordinary and yet usable.  What special words those are and what hope they bring!

We are ordinary.  Nothing special.  Not better than or greater than any other human being on this planet.  And yet, all of us, though ordinary, have been chosen.  Favored. And are usable.  We are precious in the eyes of our Heavenly Father who has hand picked each one of us for a very special reason.  Each one of us given a specific purpose, a special calling, only we can fill.  So many times, and I am speaking for myself, we forget who we really are.  We fall into a rut of believing a lie that we are nothing special, unusable, forgotten, unloved.  Because in fact, we are after all, just ordinary.  Yes, we are ordinary, but a very unordinary God loves us and has called us His and that very fact changes us. 

I encourage you, as I encourage myself, you may be ordinary, but don't forget who has called you by name.  Don't forget you are His child.  Don't forget the one who knows the very number of hairs on your head.  Don't forget that He has called out of the ordinary, just like He did Esther, and has placed you in the perfect place; at the perfect time, to work in you and through you for His glory. 

No matter where you are today or what you are doing remember this, though ordinary you are a child of the most high King.  Though ordinary, you have been called by your Heavenly Father into a love relationship with Him.  Though ordinary, you are chosen and priceless.  Though ordinary, He has a special purpose and calling on your life.  Though ordinary, He is going to use you and will use you for the glory of His name!