Rahab
Called Beyond Credentials
Joshua 2:1 Then Joshua
secretly sent out two spies from the Israelite camp at Acacia. He instructed
them, “Spy out the land on the other side of the Jordan River, especially
around Jericho.” So the two men set out and came to the house of a
prostitute named Rahab and stayed there that night.
After God gave Joshua
the game plan for his success in leading the million-strong Israelites, Joshua
sent some spies to Jericho, one of Canaan Land’s premier cities. It had
high walls, a strong military, and a king. But if they were going to take
possession of the land, they would have to face Jericho. Where does a spy go to
find out intelligence on a city? What about a safe place to stay while
they’re in town? Rahab’s Place! The best I can tell, her house
would be considered, by today’s standard, a house of ill repute,
if you know what I mean. Yet, there is something special about this woman of
the evening. Out of all the people in Jericho, she was one of the only ones
who recognized the time and season of God’s visitation. “I
know the Lord has given you this land” were her words to the Israeli
spies (2:9).
As you read on, you
see a faith-filled woman standing in the gap for her entire family. How could
this be? A prostitute? Yes. The lesson here for me is one of the heart. In my
humanness, I can so easily see things from a head perspective and miss
the heart entirely. God isn’t that way at all. God sees the heart.
When others knew Rahab as a prostitute, He knew her to be the future
grandmother of Jesus (Matthew 1:5).
I encourage you to
ask God for assistance in being heart-minded today. You and I benefit
tremendously when we can see what He sees. And like Rahab, many of us have seen
times in our lives that weren’t pretty. In the sight of God, we are
precious, we are pure, and we are perfect for His plan. So hold your head up,
and don’t let up, because you’ve been set up by God
for great things!
Lorenzo
Biblical Meditation: Joshua 6:25 But Joshua
spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her,
because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives
among the Israelites to this day.