Esther Reading Plan – W10D3

Prepare to Meet with Jesus

Find a quiet place to read and pray. Make sure there are no devices around that will distract you. Pray and ask God to help you concentrate. Ask Him to help you understand what you read.

Bible Reading: Esther 8:7-10

Read these verses three times slowly.

King Xerxes gave a reply to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew. He said, “Haman attacked the Jews. So I’ve given Esther everything he owned. My men have stuck a pole through his dead body. And they’ve set it up where everyone can see it. Now write another order in my name. Do it for the benefit of the Jews. Do what seems best to you. Stamp the order with my royal mark. Nothing that is written in my name and stamped with my mark can ever be changed.” Right away the king sent for the royal secretaries. It was the 23rd day of the third month. That was the month of Sivan. They wrote down all Mordecai’s orders to the Jews. They also wrote them to the royal officials, the governors and the nobles of the 127 territories in his kingdom. The territories reached from India all the way to Cush. The orders were written down in the writing of each territory. They were written in the language of each nation. They were also written to the Jews in their own writing and language. Mordecai wrote the orders in the name of King Xerxes. He stamped them with the king’s royal mark. He sent them by messengers on horseback. They rode fast horses that were raised just for the king.

Reflection & Questions

King Xerxes must have really loved Queen Esther. He gave orders to do everything possible to change the original ruling that Haman had put in place to kill all the Jews, just as she requested. He killed Haman. He had his royal secretaries write down all of Mordecai’s orders for the Jews. They were sent all over the kingdom in the writing and language of each territory and nation, including the Jews. Then he stamped them all with the king’s royal mark. The messengers were even sent on special horses raised just for the king!

Sometimes God gives us a little poke to do the right thing. Maybe to be kind to the kid that everyone is making fun of. We think that we don’t have the courage to do that. Or that we don’t know what to say. Maybe we feel as though we also will start to get made fun of. We don’t have what it takes to do the thing that God asked us to do.

But one thing that God is good at is giving us what we need to accomplish what he wants us to do. He has strength and confidence and words that He can give to us when we feel like we don’t have anything.

1. Do you ever feel like you don’t have the right equipment to do what God wants you to do?
2. Have you ever been nervous about something and then God gave you what you needed to go through it?

Pray

Ask God to give you courage when you don’t feel strong. Thank Him for being with you always and for giving you what you need just when you need it!