By Deaconess Kim Trombley

Placing ourselves in Esther’s shoes is not an easy thing to do as Americans living in our time. We do not serve an earthly king, and we pride ourselves on being independent. When we read about Esther in Chapter 4, she is anything but independent. She belonged to the king, and her life was in his hands. He could choose whether she lived or died, just as he could for any of his subjects.

By earthly standards, she was not in a place to make demands. She was certainly not in a place to ask the king to spare a whole group of people. Mordecai was a family member and a fellow Jew, and he appealed to her to influence the king. She was skeptical at first, but heard his words that “who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14b). She heard him and was faithful. She asked everyone to pray and fast, and ultimately, she appealed to the king and the Jews were spared.

The Lord used Esther’s unassuming position in the king’s palace to deliver the Jews. It was an unexpected blessing. No one could have anticipated that her dependence on the king would save a whole group of people.

When we look at our own lives, we can see how God has worked in unexpected ways. As baptized children of God, we are His sons and daughters. He has named us His heirs in the kingdom. We have direct access to Him through prayer, and it is powerful. How has the Lord blessed you or used you to bless another person in an unexpected way?

This month’s study text:

“Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, ‘Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?’ Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, ‘Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.’”

Esther 4:13-16

Reflection Questions:

Can you identify a recent unexpected blessing that was an answer to prayer?

What is one petition you could bring before the Lord today?

Who has reminded you of God’s deep love for you recently? Was it expected or did it catch you off guard?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, give me the boldness to bring my petitions before You and the courage to trust in Your power and mercy. Help me to remember my Baptism and Your deep love for me so I can be bold to pray. Give me patience and assuredness of the hope that can only be found in You. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Deaconess Kim Trombley is the executive director of Lutheran Women in Mission (LWML).