14 day plan

A Child Shall Lead Them

Day 8 of 14

CEV

Esther 4:14

14If you don't speak up now, we will somehow get help, but you and your family will be killed. It could be that you were made queen for a time like this!”

Reflection: Esther and desperate times    Further reading: Esther 4-5

Esther, an orphan whose uncle raised her, was born into a desperate time for the people of God. It’s a familiar story of marginalisation, power struggles and (near) genocide. Esther and her uncle lived in Persia, among exiled Jews, under the rule of a self-obsessed, drunken king – whose chief advisor is a maniacal narcissist. These two men toss about the fate of the Jewish people carelessly. But God is at work behind the scenes, orchestrating the safety and victory of his people.

And, once again, we see God choose the least likely candidate to fulfil his purpose – a young woman. Esther, at great risk to herself, steps in and speaks up for her people, ‘I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.’ (Esther 4:16). Scholars estimate she is between 14 and 20 years old during this time. Even at this young age, she risked her life, and because Esther trusted this was what God had positioned her to do, the Jewish people were saved from annihilation.

Children and young people often take a much simpler view of the times they’re living in than the adults around them. Whereas adults too often lament the challenges that befall us, young people have a pragmatic capability to ‘roll up their sleeves and get on with it’. We can all learn something from this proactive acceptance and trust in God’s timing.

Esther’s story reflects how God is always at work, even when we cannot see him – even when we cannot see evidence of him. He is always sovereign. And in the life of a young girl, we see his authority on display.

Question:  God is always at work even when it might not be evident. Can you recall a time when God was at work even though you didn’t recognize it at the time?

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, we trust that you are always at work through your people everywhere. Even when things seem desperate. Help us accept the times you have placed us in and play the part you have positioned us to play in your restoration plan for all people. Amen.

Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®) © 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.

Days

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14

Esther 4:1-17

Mordecai Asks for Esther's Help

1When Mordecai heard about the letter, he tore his clothes in sorrow and put on sackcloth. Then he covered his head with ashes and went through the city, crying and weeping. 2But he could go only as far as the palace gate, because no one wearing sackcloth was allowed inside the palace. 3 In every province where the king's orders were read, the Jews cried and mourned, and they went without eating. Many of them even put on sackcloth and sat in ashes.

4When Esther's servant girls and her other servants told her what Mordecai was doing, she became very upset and sent Mordecai some clothes to wear in place of the sackcloth. But he refused to take them.

5Esther had a servant named Hathach, who had been given to her by the king. So she called him in and said, “Find out what's wrong with Mordecai and why he's acting this way.”

6Hathach went to Mordecai in the city square in front of the palace gate, 7and Mordecai told him everything that had happened. He also told him how much money Haman had promised to add to the king's treasury, if all the Jews were killed.

8Mordecai gave Hathach a copy of the orders for the murder of the Jews and told him that these had been read in Susa. He said, “Show this to Esther and explain what it means. Ask her to go to the king and beg him to have pity on her people, the Jews!”

9Hathach went back to Esther and told her what Mordecai had said. 10She answered, “Tell Mordecai 11there is a law about going in to see the king, and all his officials and his people know about this law. Anyone who goes in to see the king without being invited by him will be put to death. The only way that anyone can be saved is for the king to hold out the gold scepter to that person. And it's been thirty days since he has asked for me.”

12When Mordecai was told what Esther had said, 13he sent back this reply, “Don't think that you will escape being killed with the rest of the Jews, just because you live in the king's palace. 14If you don't speak up now, we will somehow get help, but you and your family will be killed. It could be that you were made queen for a time like this!”

15Esther sent a message to Mordecai, saying, 16“Bring together all the Jews in Susa and tell them to go without eating for my sake! Don't eat or drink for three days and nights. My servant girls and I will do the same. Then I will go in to see the king, even if it means I must die.”

17Mordecai did everything Esther told him to do.

Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®) © 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.