Haman became more and more important in the king's court.  He was right up there, next to the king himself.  Every time he went out among the people, everybody bowed when his chariot passed by.  Everybody - except Mordecai.  Mordecai would only bow to God.  

This made Haman very angry.  Haman decided to punish Mordecai, but not him alone.  Oh, no!  Haman planned to kill all the Jews in the whole kingdom.  This wicked man talked King Ahasuerus into signing a law which would allow anybody to kill Jews.  After the king signed the new law, every Jew, including Esther, was in serious danger.  

What could Esther do?

Prayer:  Lord, thank You that though I am poor and needy, You think upon me.  Amen.

One day Esther's uncle heard two men talking.  These men were plotting to kill the king.  Mordecai was able to tell Esther about this plan and Esther told the king.  The two men were arrested and the king's life was saved.  The whole thing was written down in the king's book but the king didn't give Mordecai any reward.

Meanwhile, Queen Esther lived in the palace.  She only saw the king when he sent for her.  At that time, Esther had no way of knowing that God was going to do something wonderful for His people, the Jews - and she was going to play a big part in God's plans.

Prayer:  Dear Lord, thank You for doing Your work through people.  Please bless others through me.  Amen.

Esther was an orphan.  After her mother and father died, her uncle Mordecai raised her as his own daughter.  He probably felt sad when Esther had to leave his care to go into the palace.  But he was also a man who trusted God.  

When Esther was chosen as queen, he spent his days at the gates of the king's palace.

Mordecai was a wise man.  He knew there were people in the King's court who hated the Jews.  Especially, there was one very important army leader called Haman.  Mordecai knew that Esther would not be safe if Haman found out she was a Jewess.

Prayer:  Lord of all, You always protect Your people.  Thank You that I am safe in Your care.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

The story of Queen Esther takes us back nearly 500 years before Jesus was even born.  It's a story about an ordinary kind of girl who first became Queen, then became a great hero by risking her own life to save her people.  You can read the whole story in the Bible, in the book of Esther (imagine - a book in the Bible named in honor of this great lady.)

God's people, Israel, were in captivity in Babylon, whose ruler was called Ahasuerus (also known as Xerxes.)  He was a hard man and when his queen Vashti didn't do what he wanted, he threw her in prison and began to look for another queen.

All the lovely young women were brought before this wicked king.  He finally chose one - yes, it was Esther.  The king didn't know that Esther was a Jewess and that she would always obey God before any earthly king.  And that's how Esther's great adventure began.

Prayer: Father, thank You that You are a great God and a great King above all gods.  Amen.

'There are many large animals in Africa,' Aunt Charlotte told Helen.  'Buffalo, elephant, lion, rhino, hippo, giraffe, crocodile ñ many many large animals.  But you know, Helen, it's the smallest ones that give us the most trouble.

'Smallest ones?' Helen was puzzled.

'Yes.  For example, mosquitoes are really small compared to an elephant.  But those little mosquitoes carry the deadly malaria germ.  One bite can make us very sick.'

'That's like what out Sunday School teacher said about big sins and little sins.  She said we usually avoid big sins like stealing or murder.  But the little sins like telling a small lie can do us a lot of harm.'

'She's right,' Aunt Charlotte replied.  'Once, in Africa, I had to walk through the bush.  I was carefully watching out for boa constrictors, big snakes that wrap around you and crush your bones.  I kept my eye on the trees where they often hang.  I wandered off the path and didn't see the little green scorpion.  He bit my ankle and I was in bed for a week.'

'That's terrible,' Helen said.

'Yes,' Aunt Charlotte agreed.  'But it taught me to stick to the path.  I've never been bitten since.'

Prayer:  Lord, I want to walk in Your path.  Amen.