Wednesday's Women of the Word -Esther

Of all the women in the Bible, Esther is one of my very favorites. I think it's because of her courage and bravery to go out on a limb for her people. She was in the right place at the right time and did what she had to do to help others. That's a good lesson for each of us.

Let's look at Esther's life in this summary of Esther, chapters one through seven:

1. Esther was an orphan. Her parents were deceased and she was raised by her cousin, Mordecai.

2. Queen Vashti displeases King Xerxes. He decides to find a new queen - one more worthy.

3. Many girls were given beauty treatments and special food, but only Esther was found to please the king.

4. As instructed by her cousin, Mordecai, Esther had kept her family background and her Jewish nationality a secret.

5. Mordecai hears a threat that someone is going to try to kill King Xerses. Mordecai tells Esther of the plan. The men are found and hanged.

6. Haman is given a high seat of honor by King Xerses. Haman's wish was for everyone to bow down to him, but Mordecai refused to do so. This enraged Haman. He desired to not only kill Mordecai, but all of his people - the Jews.

7. King Xerses agrees to make a decree that the Jews will be killed if they did not bow down to Haman. He didn't realize that Queen Esther was a Jew herself.

8. Mordecai and his people began to mourn by fasting and weeping. Esther heard of their situation but didn't know how she could help.

9. Mordecai convinced Esther that she was in the right place at the right time to help her people.

"Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" Esther 4:13-14

10. Esther bravely and courageously went before King Xerses. He heard her plea to meet with he and Haman at a banquet the next day.

11. In the meantime the King finds out that Mordecai was the one who saved his life before. He asks Haman to bring Mordecai to him so that he can honor him. of course, Haman is not pleased.

12. Queen Esther hosted the banquet. King Xerses and Haman were there. Queen Esther pleaded her case about saving her people.

13. The King asked who was trying to kill the people. Queen Esther answered  "the vile Haman". BUSTED!!!

14. Haman was killed in the gallows he had originally prepared for Mordecai. Queen Esther saved the day!

For such a time as this, God placed Esther in the right place at the right time. In our own lives, many times we don't understand why we are where we are. We may be confused. We may be unsure. We may be scared. But, we should always keep in mind that God has an ultimate plan for us and for our life. There's a reason you are where you are. There is a reason I am where I am. We just have to be brave and courageous and realize our part in God's big plan.

We must believe that we are in the right place at the right time - just as Eather was.

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