Esther 1-4

May 28

Esther 1-4

The Book of Esther never mentions God. He is not out front leading or bringing discipline as He is in most of the bible. Instead God is working behind the scenes. God’s hand led Esther to the position of queen under King Xerxes. When the king’s assistant decided he wanted to wipe out the Jewish people, Esther knew she had to speak up to protect the Jews or disaster would come upon them. Mordecai, the man who raised her, reminded her that perhaps she was queen for just such a time as this. Esther felt inadequate for the task at hand but asked Mordecai to gather the Jews in Susa to fast for her and she and her maids also fasted. Though the word prayer does not appear here, we can assume they were fasting and praying.

Mordecai did not tell Esther that if she did not step up the Jews would be annihilated instead he told her that if she did not step up and help her people, deliverance would come from another place, but Esther and her family would perish. Esther was being asked to put her life on the line in order to save others. Mordecai told her that if she tried to save herself, she would perish and the rest of the Jews would be saved in another manner.

God has a plan for us. He orchestrates situations to have us in the right place at the right time to make an eternal difference. But God gives us free will. We are not like puppets on a string with no choice in the matter. We have a choice and our choices make eternal differences. Sometimes, by trying to save ourselves, we put others at risk. Sometimes the right thing to do is not the easiest thing. Sometimes we look around and wonder; where is God in this? But we can be sure that God is working behind the scenes. He may even have us where we are to make a difference.

There are times in our lives when God expects us to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. God wants us to go where they cannot go and say the words that need to be spoken on their behalf. There are times in our lives when we can save others by  sharing our faith in Jesus. We may face persecution or ridicule, but if we don’t share our faith, God will find someone, but we face the consequences for our actions. Jesus said; "“Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven." (Matthew 10:32-33, NIV)

Stand strong, speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, share your faith, persevere and like Esther we can say; “if I perish, I perish.”