An Example for Us

By Danny Saavedra

“That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her. The king took off his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over Haman’s estate. Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews. Then the king extended the gold scepter to Esther and she arose and stood before him. ‘If it pleases the king,’ she said, ‘and if he regards me with favor and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces. For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?’”—Esther 8:1–6 (NIV)

What a ride we’ve been on in this epic and deeply biblical story! As we continue, we read the king gives Esther Haman’s estate. You see, as Matthew Henry wrote, “Haman was hanged as a traitor, therefore his estate was forfeited to the crown, and the king gave it all to Esther, in recompense for the fright that wicked man had put her into and the vexation he had created her.”

Then, we see Mordecai being given the honor Haman sought for himself. He was given the king’s signet ring and appointed over Haman’s estate by the queen. Mordecai was the queen’s cousin, who raised her when her parents passed, but he never attempted to use this for his own personal gain. He was a humble man, and God always exalts the humble.

After this, our passage takes a shift and presents us with something truly beautiful. Starting in verse 3, we read about a second time Queen Esther risked it all to come before the king and plead the cause of the Jews. Now, I want you to see something incredible in this passage. Go back and read verses 3–6 again.

What does this passage feel like to you? It’s essentially a prayer! Oh, that every single believer would pray to the Lord as Esther pleaded before the king! What do I mean? “Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping.” Her petition was so full of affection, reverence, and devotion!

Do you see it? She wasn’t trying to put on an act or present a five-point thesis about the benefits of keeping the Jews alive. Instead, she’s willing to be vulnerable and real. She wept and asked her king to bring about justice. Matthew Henry wrote, “Let none be so great as to be unwilling to stoop, none so merry as to be unwilling to weep, when thereby they may do any service to God's church and people. Esther, though safe herself, fell down, and begged with tears for the deliverance of her people.”

And then, look at the rest of her plea:

“If it pleases the king ...”

“If he regards me with favor and thinks it the right thing to do ...”

“If he is pleased with me ...”

What if we approached the Lord this way? What if we interceded on behalf of others as Esther did? What if we were real before the Lord in our prayers and were willing to weep and cry and plead? What if we said in everything we prayed, “If it pleases the King ... If You regard me with favor and think it’s the right thing to do ... If You’re pleased with me.” What if we prayed with such zeal, passion, affection, reverence, and devotion?

And here’s the good news: You have a King who eternally extends His scepter to you, so you can always come into His presence. You have a King who ALWAYS regards you with favor and is ALWAYS pleased with you in Christ! You never have to worry He will cast you out of His presence or incur His wrath.

So please, dear friends, pray like Esther. Intercede with such passion and yet such humility, love, and reverence for the Lord. Pray knowing He delights to hear from you. And pray seeking that which pleases the King and is right!

Pause: What can we learn from Mordecai’s full circle journey and Esther's plea?

Practice: When was the last time you prayed like Esther? What keeps you from taking this approach to your own life and to your prayer life? Consider it today. Consider not only what may be holding you back from this type of prayer life, but also how this type of prayer life can change your life!

Pray: Dear Lord, thank You so much that You always extend Your golden scepter to me and receive with me delight into Your presence. Thank You that, because of Your Son Jesus, I can “approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that [I] may receive mercy and find grace to help [me[ in [my] time of need” (Hebrews 4:16 NIV). I thank You that in You and through faith in You, I may approach You with freedom and confidence. I thank You that Jesus “came and preached peace to [those] who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, [we] are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people” (Ephesians 2:17–20 NIV). May I be as real and genuine as Esther; may I always seek Your good and Your will in all things. And may I always, always pray all things in the name of Jesus. Amen.