Ester's Story

A long time ago in a land far away..... Ester was a little orphan girl. Her older cousin Mordecai stepped forward and took her into his home to raise her as his own child. He was Jewish and he taught her to fear God, and God blessed her with charm and beauty that surpassed all of the other women.

One day the king was looking for a bride and when he saw Esther he loved her more than all the other women so he chose her to become the next Queen. (Esther 2:17). So Ester went from nobody to Queen just like that!

Now Haman was second in command right under the king. And all that power went straight to his head. The king commanded that all the people of the land bow before Haman just as they would bow to him, but Mordecai- Esters cousin, refused. Haman's anger toward Mordecai and all the other Jews grew. So Haman devised a plan that would get rid of all of them. With the king's approval, a decree was written and his plan was set into motion.

When Mordecai learned of Haman's wicked plot he became so sad. He sent Ester a copy of the king's decree and told her what she must do. He instructed her to go before the king and ask him to write a new decree that would spare their people's lives.

This presented Ester with a very difficult task. She lived the good life in the royal palace. As queen, she had servants, the finest clothing, and anything else she wanted.  She knew that if she went before the king without being called, she could very well lose her life!

Perhaps she allowed her fears to get the best of her at this point. Just as trials are not easy for us, this was not a "walk in the park" for Esther. She was scared she would lose what she had and terrified that she would be killed because she had been keeping that she was a Jew a secret. The "what ifs" were affecting her just as they do us.

She finally decided to go to the king, which was against the law; and she said if I die, I die! (Esther 4:16). She pushed down her fears and put her life on the line to help others. For Esther there was only one way out, and that was to submit to God's will! When we face trials, it is very hard for us to see past what is affecting us. God's perspective is always the whole picture so we must trust in His will for us.

Ester invited the King and Haman to a banquet and she said to him, “If I have found favor with you and if it pleases you, grant me my life and spare my people because we have been sold by Haman to be killed.” The king was furious with Haman and immediately grated her request writing a new decree and had Haman killed.

Just as Ester was bold in her obedience causing the king to write a new decree that would change her life, we can be bold in our obedience to God causing a change in our lives as well.

Our lives are like an unopened present.  We have received a gift but we don’t know exactly what is inside until we open it.  As each of us walk with God by faith day by day, obeying His Word He begins to prepare us for what is inside and unwrap that gift for us.

Whether we know what gift God has given us or not, we are to live a faithful and obedient life that pleases God. Just as Ester did.