Esther Learns of Haman’s Plot

4 When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly. 2 He went as far as the king’s gate, for no one was to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth. 3 In each and every province where the command and decree of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing; and many lay on sackcloth and ashes.

4 Then Esther’s maidens and her eunuchs came and told her, and the queen writhed in great anguish. And she sent garments to clothe Mordecai that he might remove his sackcloth from him, but he did not accept them. 5 Then Esther summoned Hathach from the king’s eunuchs, whom the king had appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was. 6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai to the city square in front of the king’s gate. 7 Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. 8 He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict which had been issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show Esther and inform her, and to order her to go in to the king to implore his favor and to plead with him for her people.

9 Hathach came back and related Mordecai’s words to Esther. 10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and ordered him to reply to Mordecai: 11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king to the inner court who is not summoned, he has but one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days.” 12 They related Esther’s words to Mordecai.

13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”

Esther 4:1-14 NASB

 
Pastor Sam shares about the story of Esther and how judgement coming on the people of Israel and the background of her fast. The setting for her story showed that there was initial hesitation in her decision to approach the king.
 

Her call to action was only done in the faith that God would favour and bless her. Sometimes when we fast, it seems quite difficult to do and we get overwhelmed by the hunger pangs and it distracts us from the reason why we even fast.
 

Everything we do, be it the different ministries, the good works as well as fasting, can seem pointless and unfulfilling if our motivation isn't for Christ. Without a deep and meaningful relationship, all we are doing is just doing things and that is not sustainable.
 

Thankfully, Jesus helps us by meeting us halfway. He bled for us that we may have salvation and just as important is His resurrection from the dead and the things that give us doubt and drain us should have no more influence on us. We hope that the fast becomes easier for you not because your stomach gets used to the hunger but because you become more and more reliant on God!