Good morning GEMS, thank you so much for leading us in worship this morning! It’s great to have you share about GEMS and some of the things you’ve done and learned about this year. I love your verses and them this year, “Rise Up!” and how you’ve learned about Esther. These verses from Isaiah really help us to understand how God was with Israel and Esther to build his kingdom, even though we never hear God’s name in Esther.
When I was reading these verses and listening to you read them, it’s like Isaiah’s whispering a secret to us, saying, “Hey, do you know who God is, he’s amazing! God is the creator of everything and he never gets tired, he’s always full of energy so he’s never too tired to help us out. God’s so wise that he knows when we’re really tired and need some energy to keep going, he knows when we start feeling like we’re not strong enough or good enough and he makes us strong enough to keep on going.” Then Isaiah gets really excited and his whisper gets really loud, “But you know what, if you trust and hope in the Lord, he’s going to fill you to overflowing with strength and energy again and you’ll be like eagles that fly so high in the sky and can see forever with Jesus at your side!”
Queen Esther understands what Isaiah’s sharing with us here about God. She didn’t understand it right away, but that’s why God puts really wise people in our lives. Esther lost her parents when she was young and her cousin Mordecai took her into his family and raised her. It must have been really hard on Esther to lose her parents as a child, and sometimes it’s hard to see how God is with us when things are hard. God was moving in her cousin Mordecai’s heart too; moving him to take Esther into his family and to raise her to know and trust in God. Mordecai taught Esther about who God is, that God is someone they can trust and put their hope in, even though they’re living in a foreign land and were often made slaves. Mordecai’s even connected to the palace and hears about a plot to kill the king and saves the king’s life.
So how does Esther, an orphaned Jewish girl, become queen in the most powerful empire? To make Esther queen, God works in the king’s heart when he gets so angry at Queen Vashti, that he makes a law that she can never be around him again, so they hold a competition for a new queen. If the king’s people choose a girl, they have to become part of the competition. God makes them notice Esther and choose her to become the new queen. God is in control and makes his plans happen. He knows what’s coming and who he wants to use to accomplish his plans for his kingdom. This is why we read the Bible, why we study stories like Esther’s, why we go to church and GEMS, so that we’re always ready for when God wants to use us for his plans for his kingdom.
Mordecai knows that there’s a lot of people who don’t like the Jews, so he tells her to not tell anyone that she’s Jewish. Esther also listens to the advice that Hegai, who helps her get ready for the competition, and because her humbleness and wisdom, she wins the competition and becomes queen, even though Esther’s Jewish. We hear Isaiah saying, “Remember, God increases the power of the weak.” Our strength comes from God, our heart strength, our mind strength, and even our physical strength all comes from God. Esther must have been excited, scared, and wondering how this could happen to her. I’ve discovered when things change a lot, it’s a good time to ask God who he wants you to become because he’s always working in the background, getting you ready to show others who Jesus is and to build his kingdom here. Going to other people who love Jesus and follow him is always wise and helps us figure out what the Holy Spirit might be doing in your life right now. Remember, like we just said, God gave you wise people in your lives, amazing counsellors, teachers, parents, and other Christians to guide us.
Life’s good in the palace, but then an evil man Haman, who hates the Jewish people because Mordecai won’t bow down to him, decides he wants to kill all the Jewish people. All of a sudden, we get a glimpse into how God has been working quietly to protect his people by working in different people’s hearts and lives to make Esther queen right when God’s people need someone to shape the king’s heart and mind to save God’s people. Haman comes to the king and says, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them. If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents of silver to the king’s administrators for the royal treasury.” So the king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. “Keep the money,” the king said to Haman, “and do with the people as you please.” God’s people are in deadly danger here!
Esther isn’t perfect, but she’s a good example for you as GEMS, and for all of us on how to live when few people really follow Jesus. When Mordecai lets her know what has happened, Esther’s afraid to ask the king for help to stop Haman since he gave Haman the permission to kill her people. I’d be scared too! Esther tells Mordecai that she’s not sure if the king still likes her and if he gets angry when she goes to see him, the king might kill her. Then Mordecai reminds her, and us, that God’s plans will happen and to trust that he’s made us exactly the right people that he needs for his plans at this time, “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
Isaiah reminds us, “God gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Esther may feel weak, but God will give her what she needs. It’s like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, asking God if there can be a different way than the cross but then Jesus says, “Not my will, but your will be done.” Angels then come and minister to him, giving him the strength needed to save us from our sin by going to the cross and washing away our sins. Just like Jesus goes to God, Esther tells Mordecai, “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” Esther goes to God and fasts and prays; praying for strength, wisdom, and courage to go to the king to save her people. When you’re in difficult times and need to act, go to God to pray and ask for strength and wisdom and trust that “those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.” When you’re scared and you have something right and good to do, you can stand strong and courageous with God’s help.
Doug Bratt reminds us, “Through Isaiah 40 God reminds us that those who rely on the Lord find that help. God doesn’t always take away our problems. Yet God gives us the strength to deal with them. God helps vulnerable people like us so that we can run and not tire out. God lends us a hand so that we can walk and “not run out of gas.” When you read the rest of Esther’s story you see that God gives her what she needs to change the king’s mind, to show the king Haman’s evil plan, and receive protection for her people. Esther flies with the strength of an eagle because God is with her. God loves his people, hears our prayers, and gives us what we need when we follow him to show the world Jesus’ love and grace as he uses us to build his kingdom here.
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