Esther's Big Choice

When Mordecai heard about Haman's terrible law, he was so sad! He tore his clothes and cried and cried. All the Jewish people everywhere were crying too.

Queen Esther heard that Mordecai was very upset. She sent her helper to ask him, 'What's wrong?'

Mordecai sent back a message with a copy of Haman's mean law. 'You have to help!' he told Esther. 'Go talk to the king! Ask him to save our people!'

Esther was scared. She sent a message back: 'There's a big problem. If anyone goes to see the king without being invited, they could be killed! The only way to be safe is if the king holds out his golden stick to you. And he hasn't asked to see me for a whole month!'

Mordecai sent another message. This one was very serious: 'Don't think you'll be safe just because you're the queen. You're Jewish too! Haman's law will hurt you also. If you stay quiet now, God will save the Jewish people some other way—but you and your family will be in trouble. Maybe God made you queen for exactly this reason—to save us right now!'

Esther thought hard. Mordecai was right! Maybe this was why God let her become queen—to help her people at just the right time!

Esther was scared, but she was also brave. She sent this message back: 'Tell all the Jewish people in the city not to eat or drink for three days. Pray for me! My helpers and I will do the same. Then I will go to the king, even though it's against the law. And if I die trying to help, then I die.'

Wow! Esther was willing to risk her life to save God's people! That takes a LOT of courage!

So all the Jewish people fasted and prayed for three days. They asked God to protect Esther and help her be brave.