Well, this morning we discussed Rahab and Redemption. In the book of Joshua we have the accounts of Israel crossing the Jordan River and taking the land that God promised them through Abraham. It is a book of conquest and battles, a real manly man's book if you will, But it is interesting to note that the first story that is told in Joshua is the one of Rahab the harlot.
This is the story of salvation, redemption, restoration, forgiveness and overcoming. Why would God chose to save someone like Rahab? She was a harlot and not a very desirable person, she was not known as "Suzy Church-goer," as a matter of fact she was most likely known by a lot of other names that I can't talk about here. But the fact is that God did save her and her family, God saw in her someone worthy and lovely and a person of great value in the Kingdom.
So many times we think that we are not worthy of God's grace nor His mercy, and you know what? We are NOT worthy, but the amazing thing is that He saw fit to save us through the sacrifice of His Son. Just like Rahab, we fall short of God's glory, just like the harlot of Jericho, we find ourselves living lives of sin, just like this prostitute, we often find ourselves selling out to the world around us and being used by the enemy. But there is good news!!! We don't have to stay that way. Rahab acknowledged that the God of the Israelites was, "The Lord of Heaven above and of the earth below." She recognized that He is the ruler of all that there is, and when we do the same, God does the same thing for us that He did for Rahab, He saves us...He saves us from the life that we once knew, He forgives our past, He gives us a bright future.
No, Rahab was not your average "Church-goer" and I hope that you are not as well, I hope that you are who God called you to be, forgiven, restored, redeemed and resting in His salvation.
There is an old song by Ray Boltz that talks about Rahab's Great-great grandson called, "Shepherd Boy." In that song the chorus says, "When others see a shepherd boy God may see a King, even though your life is filled with ordinary things, in just a moment He can touch you and everything will change, when others see a shepherd boy, God may see a King." Others saw in Rahab a prostitute, but God saw one worthy of being in the linage of Jesus, What does He see in you today? He has a plan for you and it's out of this world...
Till, "Whenever"...Bro. Alan
