The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Esther 2:12-13, “Now when the turn of each young lady came

to go in to King Ahasuerus, after the end of her twelve months

under the regulations for the women– for the days of their

beautification were completed as follows: six months with oil of

myrrh and six months with spices and the cosmetics for women–

13 the young lady would go in to the king in this way: anything that

she desired was given her to take with her from the harem to the

king’s palace.”

If you’ve not read the Book of Esther for some time, you would

do well to do so. A quick background here will be helpful. Vashti

was King Ahasuerus’ queen. She disobeyed an order and was

deposed (kicked out!). Esther, a young Jewish girl was one of

many, who was being prepared for the king’s choosing to replace

Vashti. Our verse above tells how the girls were prepared and

how long that preparation took.

The principle I see here is: no matter how externally beautiful

one is “of form and face” (v. 7), it is not sufficient for the king.

If that be true regarding an earthly king, how much truer it is

that we must all be internally beautiful for our Heavenly Father!

I shall never forget a woman I once met in Australia. Seriously,

she was externally the most repulsive woman I believe I’ve ever

seen. It was difficult to look at her while she spoke to me. But

when I learned about her prayer life and how she prayed so

often and at all hours, so that her husband had built her a

sound-proofed prayer room, I saw her internal beauty. All of

you girls, who are receiving this, are beautiful to me. Yet what

matters is that you are internally beautiful to our loving LORD

Jesus Christ. And you fellows, who will someday be seeking

a wife, remember that her internal beauty is of far greater

worth than her external. Still, there’s nothing wrong is seeking

both! ??

We love and pray for you always,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”