Est 1:1-4 (NIV) This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush : At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present. For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty.

Jesus, use this account of the life of Esther to teach me these important principles; show me how she learned to trust God and learned how to resist evil by putting her life on the line. Help me see how to trust God and resist evil not only for myself but for the lives of others. Take me through this historical event so I can see how to trust God and resist wrong, bad, and evil from another Biblical perspective.

Est 1:10-12 (NIV) On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him--Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Carcas--to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at. But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.

Jesus, help me see that this attitude in Queen Vashti set some events in place that caused Esther to become queen. Teach me that this is the way God works as He uses His knowledge, foreknowledge of the future, understanding, wisdom, and power for good. He doesn’t do anything that interferes with people’s God-given free will. He just orchestrates things in such a way that His will is accomplished and people’s decisions are free to be exercised. Make it clear to me that only God has this kind of abilities and power to run the universe with this type of unity.

Est 2:1-4 (NIV) Later when the anger of King Xerxes had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what he had decreed about her. Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful girls into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them. Then let the girl who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it.

Jesus, Satan tried to use a certain man to do some evil things to God’s people. But, God used Esther to thwart this satanic plan and gave Esther a chance to be mightily used by Him in the process. As I go through the events of my life, help me see that if I believe that God is doing the same for me, I will be more prone to cooperate and put my heart into yielding to God and His plans for me. Show me that Esther was a part of the conquered nation of Israel. Her life didn’t look all that promising. Help me how her attitudes either helped her or hindered her future.

Est 2:5-7 (NIV) Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin king of Judah. Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This girl, who was also known as Esther, was lovely in form and features, and Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.

Jesus, God needed Esther to be raised by Mordecai. That meant her parents were taken from her early in life; that looked bad. However, she was lovely in form and features. Help me understand that because God needed her to become queen; that was good. Help me see why God saw to it that when Esther lost her parents, she wouldn’t be an orphan. Help me understand why He helped Mordecai be willing to adopt her and raise her in such a way that she would be ready to live in a royal life. Show me the importance of Esther cooperating with God and allowing Him to orchestrate her life and not get bitter or resentful.

Est 2:8-10 (NIV) When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, many girls were brought to the citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem. The girl pleased him and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven maids selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her maids into the best place in the harem. Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so.

Jesus, some people like me and some don’t; I get some breaks and I don’t get others; God says “yes” to some of my prayers and says “no” to others. I have “good” things happen to me and I have “bad” things happen to me also. Show me that it is like trying to get a sail boat to a certain destination. I have to resist certain winds and certain currents. I also have to take advantage of certain winds and certain currents. Make it clear to me that God is steering my life with all kinds of events and provisions. Sometimes I like His decisions and sometimes I don’t. But, help me cooperate anyway.

Est 2:15-17 (NIV) When the turn came for Esther (the girl Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her. She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

Jesus, this looks like a fairytale story; common, ordinary girl becomes queen. When Queen Esther looked back on her life, it became obvious why things happened the way they did. Teach me that God is doing the same thing for me, there is a reason why I am good at some things and not others. I win at some things and lose at others. People get opportunities that I wanted and You teach me to not be jealous, envious, or coveteous about it. Why? Make it clear to me that it is because God has a plan for my life that requires me to only win where it will take me to the place I NEED to go. Help me see that He doesn’t tell me what that plan is so I will TRUST Him and learn to RESIST wrong, bad, and evil.