Esther Chapter 4
A Time and Place for Us
Lately, I find myself sucked into the chaos of planning my days and figuring where to go next, in terms of my career / life-long education / location to be based in, etc. The decisions feel weighty. My desperation sometimes pulls me towards spiritually unhealthy habits of overworking and thinking my actions are the only factor shaping my future.
As a result, I forget that I am not bearing the weight of these decisions on my own. I forget that God is my Shepherd who leads me (Psalm 23).
Reading Esther 4 reminds me that God brings me where He knows is best.
And as Esther’s life shows, this “best” God gives me is not just for me.
God embeds me in the lives of others for my sake, for their sake, and for His glory.
It’s especially easy to forget this when I’ve been placed in a season of difficulties. Esther appeared possibly to have forgotten this too.
Esther’s ignorance about the king’s decree to annihilate the Jews shows two things about Esther’s difficulties: the king did not tell her about his work, and Esther was isolated from her community.
She was married to the most powerful man in the empire, but her marriage had its difficulties. Not only had she no freedom to come and go from her husband’s presence as she pleased, but she was likely losing his favour too.
Her husband had not invited her to see him for 30 days, suggesting his love for her was growing colder (Esther 4:11). Queen Vashti’s punishment after she fell out of favour with him—being abandoned and humiliated empire-wide—could be on Esther’s mind.
In addition to Esther’s isolation in marriage, she was isolated from her people and her city of Susa. She had no clue of the mass death awaiting them, nor why Mordecai was mourning so abjectly. One wonders what else Esther had missed out on.
Knowing all this, it’s easy to see why Esther is reluctant to plead with the king for mercy as Mordecai commands. While she alone of the Jews had the grace and privilege to live as a queen, now she had a choice: be the sole one that lives, or be the sole voice for her threatened community, and very much likely die.
Mordecai’s subsequent persuasion is rooted in faith. This influences Esther to choose courageously to save the Jews.
He firmly trusts God’s ancient promise to preserve His chosen people, believing that relief and deliverance will still arise for the Jews, whether Esther takes up this difficult challenge or not. He tells her, “Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).
Esther boldly chooses to be the sole voice for the Jews, but she does not do it alone. Galvanising her spiritual community, with them she fasts and relies on God.
Though there are burdens we bear alone or challenging crossroads that we alone navigate, we can reach out to spiritual buddies (or even the church) to pray and fast for us to live wisely.
“If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.” (Psalm 139:9-10)
We also have a God who loves and leads His family—not just you and me, but the rest of His children in His church. Just as God uses Esther’s challenge to save His people, God can use our difficulties to edify and bless others around us.
Whatever season you are in, trust that He is with you, leading you all the way.