Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” Esther 4:15-16

Devotion

Have you ever had to fast for something? Maybe you had to fast ahead of a lab test or for surgery preparation. Maybe you fasted ahead of a military fitness test or a sports weigh-in. There are lots of practical reasons people fast, but ultimately they do so for a purpose. In this same wavelength, fasting has religious purposes. Some people fast as they seek guidance from God. Some fast as part of the grieving process. Some fast in repentance or as an act of humbling themselves before the Almighty. No matter the reason, each act of fasting ultimately has a purpose.

Esther is one of my favorite Bible characters, and she fasted with a very specific purpose in mind too. In the Book of Esther, we read how Queen Esther and the Jews reacted to an evil plot from Haman and a subsequent royal decree from King Xerxes meant to destroy God’s chosen people. Esther 4:15-16 shows us that she fasted to commune with God, make her needs known to him, and request deliverance for her people. Through fasting and prayer, she not only acknowledges the power of the Almighty to help in a dire situation, but humbles herself as she asks for his intercession. I love the last line though, “And if I perish, I perish.” Esther knew fasting and prayer did not guarantee deliverance. Fasting and prayer were simply outward displays of an inward faith in an all-powerful God.

Esther’s fasting and praying ultimately led to the deliverance of the Jewish people, though maybe not in a way Esther might have preferred. In Esther 8:8, King Xerxes says, “Now write another decree in the king’s name on behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king’s signet ring—for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.” The king could not overturn his original royal decree, but he could help the Jews in another way. Verse 11 describes, “The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill, and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children, and to plunder the property of their enemies.”

I have a few major takeaways from Esther on the topic of fasting. First, there does not have to be a set rhyme or rhythm to fasting. Esther and the Jews in Susa fasted and prayed for three days. King David fasted for seven days when his son was sick. In 1 Kings, we read that Elijah fasted for 40 days. There are no set rules governing the act of fasting, but one thing remains constant: the act of fasting and prayer holds a higher purpose that brings us closer to God, through our display of faith.

Second, though we may not get the answer we are interceding for while we fast and pray, the Lord does not leave us without resolution. He provides the ways, tools, and means to overcome life’s obstacles, many times in unexpected and, dare I say, unconventional ways. This may be a solution to an issue or simply the strength to cope with a troublesome road ahead. Either way, when we lean on Christ, we can hold fast to the fact that he is for us, no matter the outcome.

Have you ever fasted? What purpose would you assign to fasting in your personal journey with the Father? How can you encourage others with stories of how the Good Lord has transformed your life through fasting and prayer? The act of fasting helps us to increase our faith, bolster our spiritual strength, and deepen our relationship with a God who loves us dearly and has the power to intervene on our behalf. Maybe, like Esther, we are created for such a time as this, and we can find that purpose through fasting and prayer.

PRAYER

Father, thank you for helping us see the importance of fasting throughout Scripture. Thank you for showing us how fasting has purpose and how, when coupled with prayer, mountains can be moved or valleys can be navigated. Lord, help us to turn to you no matter the reason—in pain, in praise, in sorrow, or in joy. You can intercede on our behalf, and we declare this truth with faith. Father, we love you. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

Catherine Christmas
Site and Security Coordinator

In her role, Catherine partners with each Crossings ministry to ensure regular programming, special events, and daily building and security needs are fulfilled with love and attention to care for the Crossings congregation and staff.

Resources

• Watch Take My Life and Let It Be from Worship Pastor, Larry Harrison.
• Watch Ask. Seek. Knock. by Senior Pastor, Marty Grubbs.
• Listen to Sweet Hour of Prayer by Casting Crowns.

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