Behind the Scenes – The Esther StorySample

Esther walks into the palace with the fear of the Lord, not the fear of man, no matter how powerful the man may have seemed.

Xerxes sees her and extends his golden scepter – and Esther, by the grace of God, lives to see another day.

If Esther had an Instagram account, her picture would have had the #playingitcool. She doesn’t burst into tears and plead for her people when the king asks her why she is there. She, instead, does the strange thing of inviting Xerxes and Haman for dinner. 

Esther shows us that a brave response to a situation is not usually a loud, brash, hasty reaction. It’s a well-planned response that waits for God’s timing and God’s wisdom

At the dinner, King Xerxes asks his wife what he can do for her. Again, instead of saying her piece, Esther invites King Xerxes and Haman to an exclusive banquet the following day. 

After eating Esther’s fancy dinner, Haman heads home, rather pleased with himself when he bumps into his arch rival, Mordecai. Mordecai is still holding his head up, refusing to bow down to Haman. This makes Haman so incensed that, overnight, he has 75-foot gallows erected for Mordecai to be hanged upon the following day. 

The next day King Xerxes and Haman are at Queen Esther’s second dinner. The men are fed and happy when King Xerxes again poses his question: Queen Esther, what can I do for you?

Finally, Esther stops with the dinner invitations. She discloses that she is a Jew. She pleads with the king to save her and her people, the Jews, from imminent death. And then she points to Haman as the man behind the scheme to wipe out every Jew in Persia.

Yes, Esther knew that God was in charge but that didn’t absolve her of her responsibility to act. 

John Piper says that “God’s sovereignty does not diminish human accountability.”

We can choose to be God’s instrument and fulfill His purpose – even when we don’t seem to have what it takes. 

Esther didn’t seem to be the woman for the job but when God calls us, He also equips us.

Father God, Let me never hide behind excuses or lethargy or indifference when You call me to take a step of faith. Even if I don’t seem to have the right qualifications or the ideal personality type or the proper background, help me to trust that when You call, You equip. Amen