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Esther Prays to God
(Based on Esther 2-8)

by Nancy I. Sanders




Esther, a beautiful young girl, lived with her family in Babylonia. When she grew up, she became queen.

One day Queen Esther heard terrible news! Her cousin Mordecai sent her a message explaining a new law. An evil man named Haman, one of the king’s officials, wrote the law. This law ordered all the Jews to be killed.

“Go to King Xerxes,” Mordecai said in his message. “Beg him to save our lives! The king doesn’t know how terrible this new law is.”

“It’s not safe for me to go to the king unless he calls for me first,” Esther replied. “I could die!”

“If you don’t go,” Mordecai explained, “God will send someone else to save his people. I think you should be the one to go, however. Maybe God made you queen to help in such a time as this!”

Mordecai knew God’s plan for his people. He knew God would send someone to deliver them and save them from evil.

Queen Esther agreed to go to the king. She didn’t eat for three days, but spent all her time praying to God. Her servants followed her example. So did Mordecai and every Jew in the city. They prayed all through the days and all through the nights.

Finally, it was time. Esther dressed in her elegant royal robes. She walked through the magnificent palace and stood in front of the king’s court. King Xerxes sat on his royal throne. He saw Esther standing before him.

“What do you want, Queen Esther?” he asked. “I’ll give you whatever you want, even if it’s half the kingdom!”

The king was happy to see Esther! She wouldn’t die! Queen Esther took a deep breath. She spoke to the king. “Please come today to a special banquet I prepared. Bring your official, Haman.”

King Xerxes was delighted. Later that day, he dined with Haman at the banquet. Queen Esther invited them both to come back to another banquet tomorrow.

The next day at the banquet, King Xerxes repeated his question. “What do you want, Queen Esther? I’ll give you whatever you want, even if it’s half the kingdom!”

Queen Esther answered, “Please do not kill me or my people. We are Jews. The new law orders all the Jews to be killed.”

“Who dared write this terrible law?” King Xerxes demanded.

Esther pointed to Haman. “He sits beside you.”

“Punish him!” King Xerxes roared. “A new law must be written, instead.”

Following the king’s instructions, Mordecai wrote the new law. God’s people were saved!

God sent Esther to help save his people. God had another plan for salvation, too. This plan was to one day send a Messiah. The Messiah would save people from their sins so they could live with God in heaven forever!


ACTIVITY
Write a thank you note to someone who helped you. Perhaps it was a teacher, a neighbor, or a friend. After you deliver the card, pray for that person. Ask God to help him or her, just as he helped Esther and the Jews. Ask God to open that person’s heart to understand and accept the true meaning of Christmas.

DID YOU KNOW?
Did you know that once a law was passed in Babylonia, it could not be erased? The only way it could be stopped was if a new law was written to overrule the first.

MEMORY VERSE
In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you. -2 Corinthians 6:2 (NIV)

PRAYER
Dear God, thank you for sending Jesus as the Savior of the world, just as you planned. Please help my family and friends accept your gift of salvation. Amen.