This two part article, is about the lives of two women, Esther and Naomi. Esther was an orphan and Naomi was a widow. While it seems like they were both underdogs, God’s hand was upon each of their lives. If you haven’t read either of these stories in the Bible before, you should read them, in the books of Esther and Ruth, they both read like novels. I’ll start with Esther in part 1.

The story in the book of Esther starts with King Xerxes’ 180 day party where wine is being served in golden goblets. In verse 10 we read that, on day 7 of the party the King summons his wife Queen Vashti, who was giving a party of her own for the women of the palace. The passage tells us that Xerxes “wanted to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at”. The problem is Vashti refused to comply so the king divorced her on the advice of his wise counselors, for fear that her actions would set a precedent of disobedience and disrespect for the other noble women.

Firstly, that really stuck out to me as a lesson in leadership. For Vashti, her responsibility as Queen was to obey the King, and for Xerxes, his responsibility was to set the tone, and establish rules and laws for the entire Kingdom. Vashti shirked her responsibility and lost her role. Xerxes listened to wise council and retained his role.

Let’s meet Esther, an orphan who was raised by her uncle Mordecai because both of her parents died. In addition, she lived in a community of Jews who were exiled in Babylon.

Esther’s circumstances were grim, as they would be for a child who lost both parents, but God’s hand of favor was upon her. Verse 7 of chapter 2 begins by describing her as beautiful, then vs 9 informs us that, “…she won the favor of Hegai the King’s eunuch”. Verse 15 then tells us that “Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her”. When we get down to verse 17, we read that “…she (Esther) won king Xerxes’ favor and approval more than any of the other virgins”.

It appeared that favor followed Esther everywhere she went, but this wasn’t accidental, it was because of her obedience and humility. Esther’s circumstances as an orphan probably taught her many life lessons in obedience and humility. Matthew 5:5 says, “Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the earth”. Esther’s humility was a precursor to God favoring her in accordance with His word.

When Ester entered the palace she was just like all the other candidates for the position of queen, but her humility caused her to move to the top of the list.

As with Esther, I’m positive that your circumstances have taught you some life lessons. Perhaps you’re not even aware of those actions that you do subconsciously as a result of life having happened to you. The thing is, those actions good or bad, positive or negative, in line with God’s word or not, are actually shaping your future.

Now is a good time to pause and ask God to reveal to you those self sabotaging habits that life has taught you, that are ruining the future that He has planned for you.

Had Esther been a stubborn know it all, the story would have definitely had a different ending. Not just for Esther, but for her entire community of Jews throughout the kingdom of Xerxes.

Sometimes we have tunnel vision and we don’t recognize the impact that our actions have on those around us. It’s not that Esther was perfect and didn’t have a selfish streak. When she learned of Haman’s plot to destroy the Jews, her message to her uncle basically stated that she was safe where she was and wasn’t willing to stir up trouble that could cause her her life. This was probably one of the other life lessons that Esther had learned: the art of self-preservation. Some people call it ‘looking out for number one’.

The truth is selfishness, or self-preservation, often blocks us from seeing the blessings we reap from helping others. Thankfully, Mordecai opened Esther’s eyes to the horrid outcome that would result even for her, if she chose to be selfish.

Esther’s pliable heart received her uncle’s chastening and she sent him instructions of her plan. Esther put her life on the line and put her full trust in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. She instructed Mordecai to gather the Jews to fast for her for 3 days and 3 nights while she and her attendants simultaneously fasted for 3 days and 3 nights.

This was a matter of life or death so Esther was willing to do whatever was necessary. In verse 16 she actually said, “And if I perish, I perish.”

Are you facing a grim situation? It may or may not be a matter of life or death but it’s something that has you uneasy. How about following Esther’s example and declaring a fast before the Lord God Almighty. I’m not sure why Esther chose a 3 day fast but it worked. She got the results that she was looking for. Faith, compounded with the discipline of fasting brought results.

When we discipline ourselves and set aside the pleasure of food and the noise that accompanies self gratification, we are able to “fix our eyes on Christ” and hear his voice so we can receive instructions from Him.

God does hear and answer us when we call upon him in the time of trouble. The problem is, we don’t always hear Him. Could God be trying to communicate with you through your dreams or visions, as Job’ friend Elihu reminded him in Job 33:15, “He (God), speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds”? Or perhaps it’s that we are hearing God speaking, but dismiss it because His response is not to our liking.

Ask your Heavenly Father as I’m positive Esther did, to silence the voices around you and help you to see, hear and obey him only. Ask him for wisdom and the specific instructions you need to follow in order to bring to reality the “yes and amen,” promised in 2 Corinthians 1:20. You too will get the answers that you are seeking. You too will be ‘rescued from your troubles’ as God’s word says in Psalm 34:19.

Finally, I challenge you with the words of Matthew 11:15, “He who has ears to hear, let him listen… and let him consider and perceive and comprehend by hearing.”