阅读经文 

波斯王的恶毒臣宰哈曼，想出一个除灭犹大人的计划。（参斯 3）听到这件事后，末底改非常忧伤，因为他所有的同胞都陷在险境中了。

末底改把消息传开去，他要求国中所有犹大人禁食和哀恸，意思是要他们祈求神的帮助，并且在未来几天禁食，不吃也不喝。末底改也尽一切努力，让国内其他的人知道他的同胞将要面临什么危机。

在这里，我们学到重要的一课。面对危机时，我们必须祈求神的帮助、赐智慧和保护。跟着我们也需要尽自己所能去解决问题，但我们的努力一定不可以优先于向神祈求。

在诗篇124篇中，我们看到大卫王写的诗歌：“若不是耶和华帮助我们，当人起来攻击我们……就把我们活活地吞了……我们得帮助，是在乎倚靠造天地之耶和华的名。”大卫承认，他能够得胜，完全是因为神与他同在。

末底改和犹大人也得到神的帮助。我们每天在神里面的生活中，祷告是非常重要的。神通过很多不同的途径，在祂的子民中和藉着他们，去抵挡世上具破坏力的权势；身为信靠神的人，藉着祷告和顺服，我们便能够如此与神同工。

Haman, a malicious adviser to the king of Persia, had come up with a plan to destroy the Jews. (Esther 3) When Mordecai heard about this, he was in great distress. All of his people were in danger.

Mordecai spread the word, urging all of the Jews throughout the kingdom to fast and mourn. This meant praying to God for help and avoiding food and drink, except for water, for a number of days. Mordecai also did everything he could to let the world know what would happen to his people.

We can learn an important lesson here. When we face a crisis, we must pray to God for help and wisdom and protection. Then we need to do what we can, but our efforts should not go ahead of praying to God.

In Psalm 124 we find a song of King David that says, "If the LORD had not been on our side when people attacked us, they would have swallowed us alive… Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth." David confessed that victory came because God was with him.

Mordecai and the Jews also received God's help. Prayer is important every day in our life with God. God works in and through his people in many ways against the destructive powers of this world. We can work with God as people of faith through prayer and obedience.