Time with Esther

“In fact, if you don’t speak up at this very important time, relief and rescue will appear for the Jews from another place, but you and your family will die. But who knows? Maybe it was for a moment like this that you came to be part of the royal family.” Esther sent back this word to Mordecai: Go, gather all the Jews who are in Susa and tell them to give up eating to help me be brave. They aren’t to eat or drink anything for three whole days, and I myself will do the same, along with my female servants. Then, even though it’s against the law, I will go to the king; and if I am to die, then die I will.”

Esther 4:14-16 (CEV)

 

I always draw inspiration when reading and studying the Bible.  I love the fact that it is filled full of people like me, who have various challenges, yet are still able to find a way to hold onto to their faith in God in the face of trials and come out victorious.

I think that is why I love the story of Esther so much. She was a woman who lived in exile with her uncle Mordecai at a time when it was not safe for her to even acknowledge that she was a Jew due to the environment in which she lived.  It also didn’t help that Haman, the king’s right hand man, had such an extreme hatred for her uncle Mordecai due to his not bowing down to him that he hatched a plan to have every Jew exterminated.

However, when advised of this plot to murder her people I loved that Esther was not afraid.  She knew God would deliver them, His chosen children, from all harm. There was no doubt, no wavering, just plain resolve.  She knew who God was and she knew what He would do.

The beauty about the book of Esther is that although God’s name is not mentioned anywhere in the pages it is evident throughout that He is at work in the lives of His people. He is sovereign; and so it doesn’t matter the foe that we may face we have the assurance that God will always work all things together for good for His children and so we will always have the victory in the end. (Romans 8:28)

Reading the book of Esther always gets me excited because if I ever forget just how awesome God is I can go back and read about how He always faithfully delivers His children from harm. So, when trials come my way I can be sure that my Father who is in Heaven will divinely orchestrate my pathway to victory too.

And I admit that sometimes when the darts are fiery and the seas are raging, I need that reminder. I need to be reassured that God will come through in the end.

And that is why I love the book of Esther so much because it shows what we, as Christians, should always do when confronted with trials and it shows how God will respond in the end.

We don’t need to get upset and worried. We need to be like Esther and pray, fast and hold onto our faith.  Esther did all of those and God came through in a big way.

Case in point, Haman, the man who tried to destroy the Jews, ended up being hung on the same gallows that he had built for Mordecai. Now, that’s God delivering on behalf of His people.

How much more God wants to do for us?

The God we serve is a deliver; and He is always faithful to protect His children from harm.  There is nothing that can come against us that God hasn’t already provided the victory for.

Esther knew and rested in that assurance and we should too.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your faithful protection and deliverance of us, Your kids. It never changes and it never fails. I thank You and I rest in that sweet assurance. In Jesus Name, I pray. Amen

-Nina Fortson