Girl, Bye!

Girl Bye!

Esther 1:19 

"Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is NEVER again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also, let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she."

Esther 2:4

"Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti. This advice appealed to the king and he followed it." 

Have you ever heard the phrase, "Girl, bye!"? With two words a person can send you on your way, dismiss you, tell you to get lost. Girl, Bye! I love the story of Esther. As a child, I heard Esther preached in pulpit after pulpit and church after church. But I always had one question and I still do. What happened to Queen Vashti when she was cast out of the kingdom? No one ever talked about Queen Vashti after she was dismissed from the king's palace, but I wanted to know more. 

Where did she go? Who did she live with? Did she grow old or die young? I know that Esther is the victor of the story - the one who history remembers, but I have always wondered what happened when King Xerxes had his servants tell her, "Girl, Bye!"

Walking away, being told to walk away or being escorted out of a location, are not activities that people generally rush to partake in. Most people don't like change and leaving a place or situation is often scary. Walking away is often difficult. But I imagine being sent away has to be much more devastating. 

Imagine minding your business and then being sent away without much notice. The king commanded Vashti to come to present herself to the noblemen, army generals, and governors from all over the 127 provinces that the king ruled. He wanted to show off her beauty. After a few days of feasting, the king called for his beautiful wife, Queen Vashti so that they would envy him. The king sent his servants (eunuchs) to bring the queen to them. The queen kindly refused. This infuriated the king. But I understood Vashti. The king was drunk, but the queen was fearless and full of integrity. She decided she was worth more than a stroll in the midst of men from all over the provinces. She made a decision that resulted in her ultimate dismissal. Vashti responded, Boy, Bye! to the king!

When the servants reported back to the king that Vashti was not coming, he was appalled and asked for advice. His "wise" counsel told him that if other women heard about Vashti's behavior, they'd rebel when asked to follow their husband's orders and this could not be so. They told him that she must be sent away. And that is exactly what the king did. 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... there are no coincidences in the kingdom of God. God is strategic. God will turn a Girl Bye into a blessing. Queen Vashti often gets a bad rep, but she had a purpose and an assignment. She was anointed to GO, to clear the path. Vashti's dethronement paved the way for Esther to save her nation and her people. Don't be upset, angry, or frustrated when your assignment is to go. Don't be upset that the friendship is over, you were fired from the job, or if the love of your life, said Bye! Honey, there is a blessing in bye. 

Listen, Esther's courage was led by Vashti's courage. Vashti made a decision that would ultimately set the tone for Fearless Esther to utter those famous words, "If I perish, I perish" and in turn save the Jews. Ancient Greek records reflect that Queen Vashti may have been pregnant when King Xerxes asked her to come parade herself in front of the men. The records also reveal that they had a son together and Queen Vashti later became the Queen mother to their son, Artaxerxes. Regardless of why Vashti refused to come to the banquet, she lost the kingdom, but didn't surrender her integrity. 

Stop for a second and reflect on the times you left or were asked to leave a particular situation. Sit with that situation for a moment and see if you can find the blessing in the bye! I bet you can. Your leaving may have blessed you or perhaps it blessed the people who remained. Maybe your leaving helped a single mother keep working to support her family. Maybe your leaving gave someone an opportunity to keep a job or be promoted to a new job. Perhaps, your leaving opened the door for God to place you in a better position. It was a setup! I can honestly promise you that there is a blessing in the Girl, bye! 

Live in the Red today. You are loved, forgiven, and covered in the blood! Don't be afraid of the bye!!

#Loved

#Forgiven

#CoveredInTheBlood

#BlessedByGoodbye