Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Then Esther said in reply to Mordecai, ‘Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will also fast as you do. After that I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.’”
NL Daily Devotion for Sunday, December 4, 2022
by Dr. Kimberly Leetch, Clergy Stuff
Main Idea: Esther was reluctant to go to the king for fear of her life. Once she accepted it was the right thing to do, courage took hold of her.
Esther’s uncle Mordecai had angered Haman, who had issued a decree for the destruction of all the Jews. Mordecai pleaded with Esther to intervene with the king on their behalf. At first, Esther resisted. It was against the law for someone to go see the king uninvited. He could have her put to death or he could spare her.
Mordecai reminded her that she too, was a Jew. There was nothing to stop Haman from killing her, too. And even if she was spared and if God saved the Jews some other way, her inaction might anger God, who could punish her family for her failure to act.
Esther decided she would take the chance for the sake of her people. She asked Mordecai to send word to the Jews to fast and pray for her. She and her servants did the same. She would take her plea to the king and accept the consequences.
It’s not often we’re asked to make a decision that can result in our death. But that doesn’t mean all our choices are easy. We are often asked to act according to our integrity, even when it is an unpopular opinion.
I have often been in conversation with people struggling between two choices. After listening to them, I regularly advise them this—they do know what to do; they just don’t want to do it because it’s the harder thing. Sometimes just acknowledging that it’s the right—if harder—thing makes the decision easier to make. It can be a lot easier to battle fear than indecision.