Purpose & Assignment (Part 2): Learning from the four Hebrew boys and Esther

 


Hello! Welcome to another edition of purpose and assignment ๐Ÿ˜ So, here are a few things that caught my attention as I studied Esther and the four Hebrew boys recently. I hope they are of great use to you especially in the coming year. See you at the end...๐ŸŒž

๐ŸŒฒ Gather knowledge (Dan. 1:4). In the story of the Hebrew boys, one of the criteria for the men that the king would choose to serve his government was that they had to be "well versed in all kinds of wisdom." (KJV) It's one thing to be a master in a certain field but to be versed in ALL kinds of wisdom?This meant that they couldn't be limited to the knowledge they got from their formal education, they had to be avid readers and voracious learners. Bear in mind that this was their own purpose journey and, as such, they risked missing out on God's plan for them if they failed in this criteria. 

Important Tip: This wasn't a role God could play for them, they had to do this by and for themselves. Can you be described as being well versed in all kinds of wisdom? If not, what can you begin to do today (and everyday henceforth) to improve in this area? Purpose requires mental readiness too

In Dan. 4, king Nebuchadnezzar's mind had to be replaced with that of an animal else God's word that he should become an animal for 7 years wouldn't have been fulfilled. We can therefore see that one important difference between an animal and humans, between a child and an adult, between those who fulfill purpose and those who don't, is their mental capacity.


๐ŸŒฒ Training for purpose (Dan. 1:5). I mentioned this in part 1 (read here) but it's worth mentioning it again. These Hebrew boys were well versed yet they had to undergo a period of training. If they weren't eager to learn then they would have woefully failed this test. Summary? Don't get tired of gathering knowledge. Keep learning; it's part of your training for purpose. You can limit or put a ceiling on what God can do through you. It all depends on the mental capacity you bring to the table.


๐ŸŒฒ God deals with us differently. We all have distinct destinies, distinct races to run, distinct paths to take, distinct approaches and distinct solutions. Did you notice that the response of these Hebrew boys to the king's provisions in Dan. 1:8 is quite different from Esther's response when she was provided with the king's provisions as well? Don't just blindly follow what others are doing; find out what you're meant to do for each peculiar situation.


๐ŸŒฒ The Hebrew boys and Esther all had humbling experiences of God's favour. However, they never lost sight of the fact that the favour they enjoyed was for a reason. God put them in the palace for a reason. So, we might as well say that the favour was for the assignment. There was an end goal. They were partners with God and as God played His part, they played theirs too. Don't get so carried away with the doors that God will open for you in 2021, the rare insights, ideas and relationships He will bring your way, that you forget that there's a purpose for the favour. Ensure you find the purpose and fulfill the assignment.



๐ŸŒฒ Respect is accorded to those who have solutions (Dan. 2:25). Kings listen to solution providers. Purpose is about solutions. Selah ๐Ÿ™‚


๐ŸŒฒ Find out what God is doing and decide to be a part of it (Est. 4:16). Esther was well aware that help would eventually come for the Jews someway and somehow, but she refused to sit on the sidelines while someone else did the job. She chose to be part of the solution and not wait for someone somewhere to bring the solution, even if it meant her dying for this cause. It's a choice we must all make, to be a part of whatever God is doing in our time. God seeks people who will partner with Him. This is where purpose really begins: a partnership with God to bring about solutions to man's problems.



๐ŸŒฒ Sometimes, your assignment may not be one for the spotlight. For a good chunk of Mordecai's early life all he did was prepare Esther for the palace...and he was satisfied with this assignment. He did it to the best of his ability. His assignment was similar to Jochebed's, which was to teach, train, nurture and be a springboard for another. Stay faithful even if your current assignment seems little and isn't all over social media ๐Ÿ˜‰



Concluding Thoughts

I hope you have learnt a thing or two from the Purpose series. I'd like to conclude the year with these thoughts I penned down some months back:

Whether as a teacher, student, parent, spouse, doctor, engineer, dancer, musician, artist, youth, adult etc., our ultimate purpose should be to reveal Jesus to the world. We ought to become and live out Jesus to our world. 

At the end of our lives, the short or long prayer lists we wrote won't be our legacy. All that would really matter would be "Did your life really count for God? Did you achieve the purpose for which you were sent to the earth? Did you really do what He wanted? Did you live for Him? Did people see a glimpse of Jesus through your life? Was your life relevant to God's plan for the world in your time?"

You see, a person can have a long life, yet a purposeless one. We are quick to pray for long life and protection using Psalms 91 but how quick are we to also pray that He would teach us to number our days (Psa. 90:12)?

Oh, that everyday of our lives will be filled with purpose, relevant to the One who created us. That whenever He seeks minutes, hours, days or months through which He may reveal His good and loving nature to the world, He will find our lives sitting pretty, staring into His eyes and screaming, "I'm available!" 

That our lives will become the reality of His desires; as He beholds us, He will see His innermost desires come to life. That our lives will become His imaginations made alive. 

This is the true essence of our existence. To make the Father smile, by making Jesus known to the world.

Oh, and by the way, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in advance!๐Ÿค—


Your friend,

Precious.


P.S: Were you reading this post and wondering who this Jesus is? Read this and thereafter, kindly say the prayer. Then send me a mail. I would love to share in your joy!๐Ÿค—

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