“Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16)
“But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’” (Matt. 15:25)
Two women: Queen Esther. The Canaanite/Syrophoenician woman.
One was a Jewish concubine in a Persian king’s harem. The other was a Gentile kneeling before the Messiah.
Both women were pleading for the lives of people they loved, one for the Jews in the Persian Empire, the other for her daughter possessed by an unclean spirit.
One pleaded for community. The other for family.
One came before an earthly king. The other before the Kings of kings.
Both came trusting in a God who “had prepared a table before them” in the presence of their enemies, came in the power of His Shepherding grace and love through the valley of the shadow of death. (Psalm 23)
They came as sheep before their Shepherd, believing in His power to rescue and save.
Two women. Two needs.
Having prayed to the sovereign God, Esther came before the earthly king knowing the fate of the Jews in the land was in the hand of God, as was her fate: “If I perish, I perish.”
Having heard of Jesus, the Canaanite woman came before the Jewish Messiah, knowing He was Lord and her daughter’s fate was in His hand: “Lord, help me.”
They were tried. Haman worked actively against all that Esther would do.
They were tested. The Canaanite woman was asked the reason for her hope.
In both cases, God worked behind the scenes, though in the book of Esther He is never mentioned, not once. In Matthew and Mark, Jesus seemed to be indifferent to the Canaanite woman’s plight, though in her heart He had already laid the groundwork that made her bold and persistent.
They knew what God could do. They didn’t know what God would do.
“Let my life be granted for my wish, and my people for my request.” (Esther 7:3)
“Even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” (Mark 7:28)
They hadn’t known what God would do, but they knew who He was: He was a God who cared enough to listen.
Two women who had no rights but what were granted as crumbs in the society in which they lived, went away as daughters of the living God, granted more than crumbs, granted their heart’s desire.
A community of Jews was saved. A daughter released from demonic possession.
A tale of two women alone? No. The story is really about God, and how his daughters (and sons) are never alone.
Pray now, and “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27)
Isaiah 49:15-16
“Can a woman forget her nursing child,
that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?
Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.
Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands;
your walls are continually before Me.”
Dreams from a Pilgrimage 
Powerful!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Carol.
LikeLike
Very nice description and comparison of Esther and the Canaanite woman. They were both tried and tested. They knew what God could do but not what He would do.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It’s enough, more than enough, to come to our LORD with our needs and, in His mercy and by His Spirit, go away knowing He cares. Thank you, Frank.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for sharing this.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for reading, Anita, blessings to you, friend.
LikeLike
Powerful indeed! God glorifying indeed! Absolutely stirs my faith, thank you Sister! Have a blessed weekend! ✝️🙌🙌🙌❤
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you so much, sister. Praise God for His sustaining grace that enables us to encourage one another in the Spirit! 🤗🧡💙💚 Have a good one, Pat!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the book of Esther and appreciate your insight shared here…God listens to his children. I need to be bold and persistent in prayer!
LikeLiked by 2 people
So do I, so do we all! Not only does Christ command it, our neglect accustoms us to a barren relationship with One who created us to enjoy fellowship with Him and grow deeper into it. But that’s for another post! Thanks so much for your comments, Lynn. 🙏🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow this is very good in how you showed the parallel
LikeLiked by 2 people
So many more things could be said in this vein. Blessings this Lord’s Day!
LikeLiked by 1 person
So much in Scripture!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dora, I greatly appreciate the message for others to grasp hold of. These powerful illustrations remind us that God is ever-present, even when we think otherwise. The key is found in our faith to place our fate (and hope) in His hands.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Amen. In all our ways let us acknowledge Him and He shall direct (make straight) our paths. (Prov. 3:5,6)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow. Thank you for sharing. I appreciate it.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m so glad. Thank you for visiting, Regina.
LikeLike
Sometimes we forget this, but We are never alone.
LikeLiked by 2 people
We are apt to forget, but never forgotten or alone: I love the prominence these two women are given in the Biblical narrative for that reason.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes. That’s what The Lord would do if we took to Him our worries. Thanks for sharing. xo
LikeLiked by 1 person