Esther, a beautiful woman, was the niece to Mordecai, and also happened to be one of God’s chosen people, selected to be the new queen of Persia. She discovered an evil plot of Haman, an official to the king, to destroy Mordecai and kill the Jews. When the Jews found out, they began to mourn over the bad news, but Mordecai asked Esther to intercede for them. However, if she did so, she would risk her life. So before she decided whether or not to intercede, she asked Mordecai and the people to fast on her behalf. Esther showed the significance of fasting, that by abstaining from food for an allotted period of time to ask God to answer their prayers, the Lord would be faithful in return. Esther, Mordecai and the Jews were relying on God’s power to lift them through this difficult period. The fasting of God’s people paid off as Esther’s life was preserved, the evil plot found out, Haman put to death, and the people rescued.

• Have you ever fasted because of bad news? If so, how did the Lord prove faithful? If not, then what keeps you from doing so?

When trials come your way, what is your initial response? Like Esther, our first response, no matter how difficult, should be to hope in the Lord. Many of us will never face death because of an evil official to a foreign king, however this does not minimize our struggles. What we go through as Christians may very well be painful and fearful.