Perfume, Oil Scents and Trouble?

Pic by Voice of Prayer

Favor is given as a purpose.

Esther 2 :8-17   NKJV   8 So it was, when the king’s command and decree were heard, and when many young women were gathered at Shushan the citadel, under the custody of Hegai, that Esther also was taken to the king’s place, into the care of Hegai the custodian of the women. 9 Now the young woman pleased him, and she obtained his favor; so he readily gave beauty preparations to her, besides her allowance. Then seven choice maidservants were provided for her from the king’s palace, and he moved her and her maidservants to the best place in the house of the women. 10 Esther had not revealed her people or family, for Mordecai had charged her not to reveal it. 11 And every day Mordecai paced in front on the court of the women’s quarters, to learn of Esther’s welfare and what was happening to her. 12 Each young woman’s turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after she had completed twelve months’ preparation, according to the regulations for the women, for thus were the days of their preparations apportioned; six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfumes and preparations for beautifying women. 13 Thus prepared, each young woman went to the king, and she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the women’s quarters to the king’s palace. 14 In the evening she went, and in the morning she returned to the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who kept the concubines. She would not go in to the king again unless the king delighted in her and called for her by name. 15 Now when the turn came for Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his daughter, to go in to the king, she requested nothing but what Hegai the king’s eunuch, the custodian of the women advised. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all who saw her. 16 So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. 17 The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

Any one and anything outside of our environment and community are those who still have some authority to make the rules, the laws, or something else that can be or appear as negative to us. Esther found this out in a big way!

Moving in God’s favor, Esther found herself outside of the environment she knew. Even though out of his sight, Mordecai continued to seek her welfare for good. We find him pacing back and forth and asking questions for her welfare within the walls of the king’s dominion.

Esther had to complete the 12-month process of the oils and perfumes just to go in and see the king. In this process, any serious skin problems would be dealt with. The woman was not to be blemished in any manner. Of the products used at the time, myrrh, honey and cassia topped the list. Myrrh was a healing agent, an oil resin native of Africa, the oil was as perfume, a perfume ingredient and for wound dressing. It was sought out for the use on ring worm type disease. The cassia was noted for what we would call PMS problems.

Sudden removal from one place to another is a great burden to many people. For many people it looks and sounds like big trouble!  Like children as an example, any trip outside of the 24/7 at our home, my little sister would require her pillow and blanket. She made it known that she had to be home before dark and she was two when she told our mother that. Moving to take another position far from what we know as the “known and the comfortable” can make some people down-right unhappy. In truth, some people can get downright ugly about the whole situation.  But evidently Esther has some up-bringing that took her from the unknown place of just a face in the crowd to the known face of a queen. She had to have to recognize the rules and to honor the leadership over her when she arrived as another face in the crowd.

Favor surely came to her, but she had to follow instructions, and obey every command whether she liked it or not. Sometimes people think they know better maybe by their age or even their schooling. But it must have been Esther’s upbringing in the Lord God that brought her to the place she was meant to stand. We only looked at the first part of the walk Esther took toward being Queen. Her greatest obstacle still lay before her, yet she had made it through the first hallmark of being favored by God.

Was thinking on Esther today, I had remarked to my husband of the people I have had opportunity to mentor how many really took it to heart to make the notes of wisdom the Lord had me give them for the walk with God. Some made notes as I would speak with them. Some just would come and nod and smile a lot but really asked no questions.

My husband has opportunity in the position he holds to do the same. He has done this for many years. In the recent, he spoke of all the ones who have heeded what he told them, and they had moved forward and gone farther in less time than those who took no attention to the wisdom he gave. I too,  think on one who I had given attention to and gave wisdom of God and it seemed to be rejected every step of the way. Ah, but rejection can be good, and paying attention to the speaker of why they chose another direction, certain does not limit God in their life, but it puts a roadblock by said person that they know better than God. Many probably just tell Him, bye, bye for now.........."I know better"....yet, theirs lives give a hint a trouble when you see them and hear them speak.

One thing is for certain, Esther heeded that which was before her and she was reminded of what her uncle Mordecai told her when she came to live with him after her parent’s death. Oh, yes, in Esther there is much, much more of detail, but the preparation came first. And in that process there is the waiting to do the next thing.

I thought of this month as Valentine’s Day approaches, and how many roses will be bought and given. I thought of how many boxes of chocolate and perfumes would find their way into the hands of a woman created by God. And in those scents and fragrances, I thought of this passage:

2 Corinthians 2:12-17     NKJV

12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, 13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia. 14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ. 

And I thought of this passage:

Song 4:9-12      NKJV

9 You have ravished my heart,  My sister, my spouse;  You have ravished my heart  With one look of your eyes,  With one link of your necklace.

10 How fair is your love,  My sister, my spouse!  How much better than wine is your love,  And the scent of your perfumes Than all spices!

11 Your lips, O my spouse,  Drip as the honeycomb;  Honey and milk are under your tongue;  And the fragrance of your garments  Is like the fragrance of Lebanon.

12 A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. 13 Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates with pleasant fruits. Fragrant henna with spikenard, 14 Spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense, myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices----15 a fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and steams from Lebanon.

Experiencing authentic love happens when both the man and woman of God know who they are in Christ. As with the union between two people designed by God, we look even deeper to this in the sense of the body of believer’s in Christ Jesus. We should refuse and abstain from any kind of involvement that would cause unwarranted situations to arise. Abstaining from the unneeded keeps us clean and away from that which might destroy.

In preparation, we are to seek God first. We are to seek to have godly counsel and not just any counsel! And we are to ask God to show us where we stand and with whom we stand. For God has someone for each who looks to marry. And for those believer’s in Christ, we look to keep ourselves holy toward Him knowing that He is our 1^st priority to even living this life.

Learn to speak the language of love. Spend time in 1 John, 2 John and 3 John. Be wise and look forward to knowing someone as your husband or as your wife, and know God as Your Husband who comes for His bride without spot or wrinkle. As we learn to speak with the Lord, then we can speak with others and those we are destined to know and walk with through life.

Protect your garden with the Lord and protect that which is with the husband or wife you have.

Celebrate the walk you have with Jesus. Celebrate truth that you will really know who He I
has destined you to be in Him. And then celebrate life it is just beginning.

AND then last but not the least of these:

Psalm 45:8-9     NKJV

8 All Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia, Out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made You glad. 9 Kings' daughters are among Your honorable women;  At Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir. 

As we spend time to seek His face, and know Him and remain within His presence, we become aware of those scents of myrrh, aloes and cassia. We become aware when that beautiful scent presents itself in our smelling, and enjoying the beautiful scent of the Savior, and our HUSBAND, THE LORD!

All that Esther was taught, the testing came in a big way when she had to fully depend on God Himself. Each of us will face that moment. It will not matter who else is around you, but what strength you hold that is of God that will carry you into your future. In His speaking, we hear His love, peace and wisdom. And it is that Word of God manifested in you that will hold you when all chaos is breaking out either towards you or your community. Stand firm, give heed to the adversary but speak all, write all and share of all God has done for you.

What symbolic language will you learn of His speaking? What will you discover in Him that will not be like any other relationship you have ever known? The ideal relationship, the ideal marriage, the authentic is only found in God. Enjoy His timeless truth in speaking love to you! Amen!

Notice: 

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