I love Rahab......
This beautiful woman, who's father gave her to the King of Jericho,this woman who to survive in the times she lived became a prostitute.
If we stop there with her story, all we would see is a woman that lived a sexually impure life. A woman that had no husband and no children. A woman that made her fortune from selling herself.
She was a Canaanite woman who's people worshipped false gods.
She was a intelligent woman, a beautiful woman, a woman who knew how to make business deals to insure her and her families futures.
But she was a prostitute you say.....
A person's past does not define who they are, it is defined by the choices they make once they become aware of who God is. God offers his salvation to all sinners, not just the ones society deem "worthy" or "good."
Rahab had heard of the God of Israel and all that he had done to the surrounding lands. She was fearful of this Israelite God but yet she wanted to know more of him and to serve him.
She had a bold faith in a God she had only heard of.
Many times I have seen those who stereo type others by their past mistakes, choices and failures in life .
They will, themselves, determine the out come of another life according to their past.
To look at Rahab's life we must go past her life style, to see where her faith in a God that she had only heard of, bring her to salvation and redemption.
The spies did question her motives, however had they not seen past her life style and saw her earnest longing to know of their God,her story would have been far different. She chose to hide the spies in return of her and her family's safety. She chose to go against her people and King for a God she had only heard about.
God knows our hearts, he looks to the inside of each of us.
He saw Rahab's heart and knew that she believed and had faith in Him. He used her past to change her present. He used her faith to move her to a place that would glorify his name.
He took what society deemed a harlot that would never be anything else but a harlot, and saw her heart, her true heart.
A heart that carried a bold faith!!
How many times in each of our lives have we come across someone that had a life style that was ungodly, however we didn't show Godly love?
Did we look at the persons life and deem them unworthy?
Did we automatically assume they could never be used for God's kingdom?
Did we look at them and determine they were not worth our time?
When the spies instructed Rahab to place a scarlet cord in her window, the sign for her and her family to be protected from the siege and fall of Jericho, she obeyed.
She obeyed out of faith that the God of Israel would protect her and her family.
I want to be like Rahab....
I want my girls to be like Rahab....
"The Faith of Rahab"!
One that is bold and brazen.....
The same God of Israel during Rahabs life is the same God of today. Because of her faith and her obedience she and her family were delivered.
She was justified by faith.....
Her bold and brazen faith!!!
The story goes on to tell us how she married Salmon, and thus became apart of the lineage of Jesus.
This woman, this harlot, this Canaanite woman, became apart of Jesus Christ's family tree!!!
God doesn't move on our behalf according to our circumstances, he moves by our faith!
Just as he moved for Rahab, He will move for us all.
God doesn't look for "plastic" or "perfect" people. Ones who society deem "the right" ones. He will take you just as you are, mold you, shape you, and change you to be the man or woman HE has called you to be.
I encourage you all to read Rahab's story. ( Joshua chapter 2)
See her boldness.....
See her faith!
See how God went to such great lengths to show himself to her!!!!
The same God of Rahab's life, is the same God we serve today.
Rehab's story not only shows us faith, but also shows us we are not to be judgemental, that we all sin.
God extends his grace to all and so we as believer's must extend grace to others as well.
Her life shows us God will use whom ever he chooses as he doesn't just look at outside appearances, but he looks at the heart.
I encourage everyone to have faith as Rahab, to look beyond your circumstances and see yourselves as your daddy God sees you. Look at your heart, not your outside appearances. Allow Him to mold you and shape you into the man or woman He has called you to be.
It can be so easy to see ourselves as the world does, however God says your are someone different.
His child!!!
And by His grace, no matter the past, He will move you, just as he moved Rahab!!!!
When we all stand with a bold and brazen faith, just as Rahab did, God will move on our behalf!!
I choose to stand!!!!
What do you choose??
Much Love~
Stacey
Love the story of Rahab too, I'm so moved by her courage and faith, and how God used her. Her story is so relevant today. If only we could all see ourselves through the eyes of our Father!
ReplyDeleteI really like Rahab too.
ReplyDeleteComing to you from On Your Heart Tuesdays! I like how you opened up her life as a whole person, not just as "Rahab the prostitute". We (I) usually don't think past what the words in scripture say, but to be reminded that she was a real person and had a real life before and after prostitution was a great read for me today! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Margo