“The Lord protects those who belong to Him.”
~Joshua 2
This week at Teaching & Worship we will be studying the second chapter in the book of Joshua. Joshua, one of only two people who experienced both Egyptian slavery and the promised land, was a brilliant military leader. He was appointed by God Himself to lead the Israelites back home to Canaan; the land God promised would belong to His people forever. Can you imagine being called to carry such great responsibility? God could have chosen anyone; but, He chose a man who knew that if God’s laws were obeyed, anything was possible. Joshua trusted Him! And God chose Rahab, a prostitute in the city of Jericho whose faith gave her the courage to hide Joshua’s spies and in turn, lie to the authorities. Rahab had faith in Him! With Joshua at the helm and Rahab willing to risk everything she had for a God she barely knew; God’s people were ready to claim their inheritance – the Promised Land!
I would have loved to have watched Joshua lead this army; his story empowers me. But I think I would have loved meeting Rahab even more. I believe there is so much to learn from her vulnerability and her bravery. Growing up, my mother always skipped the part about Rahab being a prostitute. I understand her reasons; but, as I reached adulthood, the story became even more magnificent because of her profession. God chose a woman, a prostitute, a pagan, someone who was living a life filled with rejection and fear; yet, who recognized something that many of the Israelites did not. God, our God, is no ordinary person. He is the God who commands the winds and parts the seas! Despite her sin, God knew…and He saw…her heart.
After housing the spies sent by Joshua to look over the land, Rahab begged the men for some kind of proof that when Jericho was conquered, she and her family would be spared. The spies agreed, offering their own lives as the guarantee. They then commanded Rahab to hang a crimson rope outside her window, the same window used for their escape by means of the same crimson cord. As long as the cord was displayed, Rahab and her family would be saved from death. There is great significance in this red rope. I believe it represents a foreshadowing of Jesus’ death on the cross and the blood He shed to wash away our sins. It’s a powerful message! We are loved not because of what we do, but because of who we are and because of our willingness to allow God into the most shameful places of our lives. He sees our potential, but do we?
Like Rahab, are you willing to allow God to work through you despite your sin, despite your fears? I believe Rahab’s heart must have been broken many times because of her lifestyle. As a prostitute, she must have been rejected, discarded by society, used by many; yet, she was willing to help others at great cost to herself. God redeemed her. God knew her purpose. God knew what lay ahead for her. She was much needed. God placed her in the direct lineage of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. God took her tattered life and made it pure.
Friends, what is the crimson cord in your life; rather, what breaks your heart? Perhaps that is where God is calling you to make a difference.
See you Thursday!
