6^th September

“Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

Esther 4:13-14

The book of Esther is a wonderful demonstration of justice, bravery and God-appointed timing. Yet one thing that stands out above the rest, is the necessity of having a friend who is willing to tell you the hard truth, even when it hurts.

Esther, was chosen by King Xerxes to be his queen because of her beauty. The King loved Esther above all of his other young women in the palace. Yet Haman, one of the King’s highest officials, seemed to hate all the Jews in the King’s Kingdom. So he plotted to have all the Jews killed. Mordecai, Esther’s older cousin, found out about this plot and devised a plan to save the Jews through Esther’s royal position. The story continues and sure enough, the favour Esther had with the King, enabled her to risk her life and intercede to the King on behalf of the Jewish people, leading to the salvation of all the Jews. Yet this would not have happened, if Mordecai did not give the harsh truth to Esther: that if she didn’t speak, her people would die. It is because of Mordecai’s wise advice and strong truthful words, that Esther was able to have the confidence to enter the King’s presence uninvited. It is because of his words that Esther was able to intercede for her people. It is because of his words that the Jewish people were saved.

In our lives, we too can battle with our own crisis’s, of which sometimes may feel like life or death, at least spiritually speaking. Yet if we battle alone, the chances are we may give up and live in constant defeat. Yet if we invite Godly and wise friends to walk and fight alongside us, we can have victory. Sometimes their words might hurt and not be what we want to hear, but they could just save your soul, or even your life, just as Mordecai’s words saved Esther’s. Don’t battle alone.

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

James 5:16