Monday, December 17

ESTHER

Esther 2-4

In the course of time, we come to the story of Esther. Reading through the chapters we learn a little about this humble young woman that God would use in a mighty way.

As the account begins, pagan King Ahasuerus has thrown a large party and has asked that the queen join him. Queen Vashti refused to come to him and the king was very angry and dethroned her at once. Now the king was in search of a new queen. He sent his officers to go all over the kingdom and bring to the palace all the young virgins. Among all those young maidens was a girl named Esther. She was a Jew who had been brought up by her uncle. After many months of purification, every maid was taken to see the king. The king loved Esther above all the other women and crowned her queen.

Later, one of the king’s prideful officials, Haman, sat at the gate expecting people to bow to him. Esther’s uncle, Mordecai, feared God, and would not bow to any man. This made Haman angry, and he sought a way to destroy all the Jews. He convinced the king to make a decree that all the Jews were to be killed.

Mordecai cried out to God and all the people joined in fasting and weeping. Esther heard about her uncle’s behavior and did not understand. At that time, Mordecai reminded her that she also was a Jew and would not escape destruction, even though she was in the king’s house. Upon hearing her uncle’s instructions, Esther and all her maids spent three days fasting and seeking God for guidance. God had taken a young woman, whom no one knew, and had given her the responsibility to reverse this sentence of death which was upon her and her people. Mordecai’s instructions to Esther were to go to the king and plead for life. Esther knew that if the king had not first called for her, he could kill her on the spot, but she was willing to take that chance saying, “If I perish, I perish.”

Likewise, we today, are like Esther, a nobody among many, and God has instructed us to humble ourselves before Him and plead for our lives. We are afraid to because we know there is the possibility of perishing before a Holy God, but if we don’t, that death sentence will surely be carried out. God is calling us today to humble ourselves, and know, that, apart from Him, we are nothing. Lay down your life now, and plead for life—eternal life with Jesus. Glory to God in the Highest.

~ Debbie Frantz