Lesson 8: Esther

Esther, one of my favorite stories in the Bible. A poor, common girl rises to power as Queen and stays true to her faith and beliefs. In the end her bravery saves a nation of Jews. Pretty awesome stuff, and I forgot to mention the mushy love part in between when she marries the king. Does God still do things like this today?

I believe He does. Our lives may not be quite as romantic or dramatic as the life of Esther, but I do believe God has a plan for each of us and when we trust Him He makes the perfect path for us.

Part of Esther 4:14 says, " And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" When things are rough and we don't understand why we are in the middle of them, how about thinking that maybe God placed us in a situation at just the right time for us to learn something or to serve in some way. For Such a Time as This! Will this school year be that time for you? Esther prayed and acted in faith when she knew of an evil plot to rid the country of Jews, even her own relatives. She was bold to do the right thing and tell the king. Faith is doing the right thing while trusting God to work it out for the best. She saved a whole nation because of her boldness. Are we willing to be that bold in our everyday lives?

This chapter lists character traits of Esther. Take a little quiz and see where you are with these traits in your own life.
1) She valued obedience more than comfort.
2) She sought wisdom.
3) She cared more for others than saving her own neck.
4) She was available to God to be used in His world.

Esther was a beautiful woman inside and out. It is pretty obvious from the story that she spent more time working on her inward beauty, rather than just the outward appearance. Are we spending quality time working on our inward beauty with the Lord? I hope you enjoy reading about Esther this week. Her story is full of romance, drama, and happy endings. What character traits will you take from Esther and apply in your own life?