Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, "Go,
assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or
drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same
way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and
if I perish, I perish." So Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had
commanded him.
Fast and pray.
Don’t eat or drink anything for three days. That is what the Jews of Susa,
including Esther and her maids, were going to do. When was the last time you
went without food for three days—have you ever gone without food AND water for
more than 24 hours? Most fasts are only fasts from food, or maybe food and
water, but last only sunrise to sunset or only 24 hours. Our bodies go into a
deprivation mode if we fast for extended periods of time. A short fast, like
24-48 hours is actually good for us if we are in good health. In this case the
purpose of the fast was to focus on prayer during the fast. Prayer that would
assure that Queen Esther would be acceptable in approaching the King with her
request. As they were fasting they were pleading with God, asking for His mercy
for Queen Esther and deliverance from Haman’s plot to obliterate the Jews. That
is unstated in the book of Esther—but understood since prayer and fasting go
together we know that was their desire.
There are a
couple of scriptures that go along with Esther’s plea. One is found in God’s guidance
to Solomon, 1 Chronicles 7:14…(if) My
people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face
and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive
their sin and will heal their land. (NASB) The Jews at this point in
Esther’s story weren’t being wicked,
but they were seeking God’s intervention and fasting can be a humbling
experience. In the book of Joel, written before Esther’s time, it says, "Yet even now," declares the LORD,
"Return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping and mourning…Joel
1:12 NASB. Mordecai and all the Jews were following the Lord’s way…with
fasting, weeping and mourning.
What do you do to
get the Lord’s attention? Will you consider fasting and praying the next time
that you earnestly seek the Lord? Let God know the desires of your heart.
Lord, we know that we can’t manipulate you
into doing our will, but that we need to seek
Your will and Your way in our lives. Help us to know You more deeply and
please hear our prayers just as You heard those of Esther, Mordecai and the
other Jews in Babylon.
© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
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