Queen Esther Saves Jehovah’s People, by Sam Lawlor
Many events in the book of Esther might seem like luck or coincidence. How else do you explain how an orphaned Jewish girl became the queen of Persia at just the right time to save her people from slaughter? What are the chances that Esther’s cousin Mordecai would happen to overhear a plot to assassinate the king? Were these coincidences, or were they part of a divine plan? Elder Ronald A. Rasband noted: “What may appear to be a random chance is, in fact, overseen by a loving Father in Heaven. … The Lord is in the small details of our lives” (“By Divine Design,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 56). We might not always recognize the Lord’s influence in these “small details.” But we learn from Esther’s experience that He can guide our path and prepare us “for such a time” (Esther 4:14) when we can be instruments in His hands to fulfill His purposes.
For an overview of the book of Esther, see “Esther, book of” in the Bible Dictionary.
The Holy Ghost can open your mind and heart to messages in the word of God that are meant just for you. What do you feel the Lord wants you to learn this week?
Set aside uninterrupted time each day this week to study the following:
Additional helpful resources to aid in your studies:
What Church leaders have said about this week's Come, Follow Me
Standard of Truth Podcast (Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat)
Follow Him Podcast (Hank Smith and John Bytheway)
Scripture Central (formerly Book of Mormon Central)
Seeking Jesus (John Hilton III)