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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: ESCAPE (03/04/21)
Step. Breathe, Step. Breathe. Step.....the breath catches in my throat as I spy the king sitting on his throne, his eyes wide with astonishment that I had dared approach him  unsummoned. The guards tense their muscles in anticipation, their eyes locked on their king, waiting for him to nod his permission for them to drag me off to my death.
 
My capitol offense?
 
I had just approached King Xerxes without his permission, something that the law said would mean my death.
 
Unless...
 
Unless...
 
 
I continue to hold my breath for what seemed like hours until I let it out with a sigh of relief. The king was holding out his gold scepter. I could approach him! The guards relaxed, and let me pass.
 
I had escaped a possible death sentence! But would Jehovah use me to help my people escape theirs?
 
. . .
 
How did a Jewish orphan get into such a precarious predicament? It seemed like only yesterday and at the same time a lifetime ago that I was little Hadassah, living under the watchful eye of my cousin Mordecai. One day, the astonishing word reached our small village that Queen Vashti had dared refused the king's command that she come and parade herself in front of him and his drunken banquet guests. We were not surprised that the King banned the Queen for her defiance.  But I was surprised and dismayed when I was kidnapped and dragged to the king's harem as one of the beautiful young women in the country chosen as a potential bride.
 
Time passed. The time came when the eunuch in charge of the harem told me that he had some wonderful news for me. Was I about to escape the harem and go home? He laughed at me for thinking that would have been good news. No, the king had chosen me to be his new queen. Little Hadassah was now Queen Esther.
 
More time goes by, I hear that Mordecai is in sackcloth and ashes at the gate, wailing loudly. What was going on? I was so worried about Mordecai,  I sent a messenger with a change of clothing for him, and a note begging him to put the clothes on.  The note I received in return was most disturbing and alarming. …
 
Haman, one of the king’s nobles, despised Mordecai and all the Jews and had gotten the king to issue an edict for the annihilation of the Jews.  Annihilation!  All my people, killed? Mordecai had always warned me not to let anyone know that I was a Jew, for fear of my safety. But now Mordecai wanted me to go before the king and plead for our people. The time for secrets was past. It was time to speak out.
 
I sent a message back to Mordecai telling him of the law that anyone who approaches the king without his permission will be put to death unless he hold the golden scepter. And I had not been summoned by the king for thirty days.
 
I receive Mordecai's response.
"Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent, deliverance for the Jews will come from somewhere else, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows, whether you did not come to this position for such a time as this." (Esther 4:13-14, NIV)
 
I send a final message back to Mordecai. “I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16, NIV)
 
But I didn't perish. God used me to save my people. I do not have time to tell our entire story but through a series of miraculous events, God used me to prevent the annihilation of the Jewish race.
 
How about you? Are you trying to escape your royal responsibility as a Christian, a son or daughter of the King of Kings?  Are you petrified of speaking out for fear of being seized and attacked by those guarding the status quo? Are you trying to escape the social death of speaking out? If you do not speak out, God can bring about His purposes with someone else. But who knows whether or not, that you were put in the position you are now...
 
for such a time as this.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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This article has been read 305 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Janice Aylor
03/14/21
I really enjoyed this story. Really well written and organized well. I like the way you start off with Esther coming to see the King without being invited. This makes it exciting and makes the reader want to know more.

One suggestion I would make is to read some of the articles on sentence structure under the Writing Tools. I am working on those things with my writing as well.

Keep up the good work and keep writing!
Penny Neimiller 
03/15/21
Good question for all of us.
Ramona Cook 
03/16/21
Well done. An interesting approach to deliver the very pertinent question.
Linda Lawrence
03/17/21
Well-done!
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
03/18/21
You did a great job retelling this story. Congratulations on ranking 1st in your level and 12th overall. The highest rankings can be found on the message boards.
Noel Mitaxa 
11/28/21
I like your economic use of language, as you lay out a touch of intrigue, then quickly bring us into the next step of your story. A well-deserved placing.