Esther 4:10-16
10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to go to Mordecai and say, 11 “All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.” 12 And they told Mordecai what Esther had said. 13 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. 14 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?” 15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16 “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 was blessed by God to become the queen. But this blessing wasn't just for her benefit; God wanted to use her to save thousands of people. The king's advisor Haman had ordered the destruction of all the Jews, thus Mordecai sought Esther's help. Her first thought was fear and the desire to stay out of trouble (verse 11), but eventually she agreed with Mordecai and was willing to risk her life for what God wanted her to do (verse 16). We who have experienced recovery in our behavior have also been blessed, but, like with Esther, God may not want to limit the blessing to our individual recovery. As people who have experienced the temptations and sins of lust, we can be uniquely able to minister to others in similar situations. Once we have gained sobriety, we should be praying and asking God how he wants us to minister hope and healing to others. This is also the 12th and final step of the 12-step program.
God, thank you for the healing work you have done and are doing in me. Show me how I can help those around me.
10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to go to Mordecai and say, 11 “All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.” 12 And they told Mordecai what Esther had said. 13 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. 14 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?” 15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16 “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 was blessed by God to become the queen. But this blessing wasn't just for her benefit; God wanted to use her to save thousands of people. The king's advisor Haman had ordered the destruction of all the Jews, thus Mordecai sought Esther's help. Her first thought was fear and the desire to stay out of trouble (verse 11), but eventually she agreed with Mordecai and was willing to risk her life for what God wanted her to do (verse 16). We who have experienced recovery in our behavior have also been blessed, but, like with Esther, God may not want to limit the blessing to our individual recovery. As people who have experienced the temptations and sins of lust, we can be uniquely able to minister to others in similar situations. Once we have gained sobriety, we should be praying and asking God how he wants us to minister hope and healing to others. This is also the 12th and final step of the 12-step program.
God, thank you for the healing work you have done and are doing in me. Show me how I can help those around me.