Beauty Treatments

At Journey, our women's bible study, we have been reading about Esther. This week we were introduced to the beauty treatments that she was given while waiting for her time with the king.

Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them.

Before a young woman’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics. Esther 2

Those must have been some intensive beauty treatments!  After I read this I promptly went out and had a treatment of my own.

I always feel better after I have treated my hair.  You might say I feel beautiful.

These beauty treatments mentioned in Esther started a process in my mind.  What does scripture say to you and me about beauty? 

Beauty comes from the Lord

One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.  Psalm 27

Beauty can be your crown to display His splendor

and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. Isaiah 61

Beauty comes from the inside

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. 1 Peter 3

Beauty is a rare and beautiful treasure

By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established;  through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.  Proverbs 24

Beauty is shown through worship

While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”  Matthew 26

Where do you get your beauty?

from a bottle

from exercise

from others

from your occupation

from your children

from your shopping

from your weight

from your spouse

from the Lord?

Maybe today you could be like the woman in Matthew who gave all that she had to worship Jesus. She is our example of true beauty. 

Esther had a beauty treatment done to her.  I wonder if God intends our time with him to be considered a beauty treatment?

Instead of calling it a bible study or a quiet time, I am going to call it my beauty treatment!