We have heard… what you did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below. Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. (Joshua 2:10-12)
Sometimes, my head aches from trying to plan for every eventuality in an unknown future. There are so many questions. Is another, even more disastrous wave of coronavirus headed our way? Will our children be able to attend college and high school classes in person this fall? Next year? How long until we can attend church in groups of over one hundred without having our temperatures taken? How long will I feel compelled to wear a mask while walking on busy trails? Are we finally making headway to respecting our fellow humans no matter their color, background, or perceived differences? Or will we continue to hurt each other and watch the world around us explode in violence?
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In times of questioning and unpredictability, I am grateful to open God’s Word and immerse myself in the accounts of those who have experienced the fears, anxieties, and uncertainties of life before me. God’s timeless Word is a treasure trove of examples of men and women making their way through life with all its twists and turns and coming to rely on the Lord to see them through.
I don’t know how Rahab, a prostitute in Jericho, felt about her life before the first rumblings of Israelite exploits reached her ears. However, when Rahab heard of an approaching people whose God made a way for them to cross through the waters of the Red Sea and who destroyed cities in their wake, her heart was ripe for a new beginning. At considerable risk to her safety, she risked death as a traitor to her country by hiding two Israelite spies on her roof and then leading them to safety.
I wonder if Rahab had considered the likelihood of spies ending up in her highly-trafficked home in advance. Her location along the city wall with its access to areas outside the city and a steady stream of traveling men entering and exiting her dwelling may have increased her chances of playing host to spies seeking nothing other than a safe shelter. Had she wondered if she might receive such visitors? Or was she struck with inspiration as she first greeted the men, her heart already open to the fact that they served the One True God? Did she then seize the chance to both serve Almighty God and secure safety for her family?
I don’t know what led Rahab to become a prostitute. Clearly, she was able to look beyond her current situation when two men from a strange land appeared at her doorstep seeking concealment. Whatever disappointments she had previously experienced, whatever sins or mistakes she had committed, she was able to look ahead to a future filled with hope and promise. She didn’t doubt that the God of the Israelites could use a common woman like herself to bring about victory for His people. She didn’t doubt that she could begin afresh, with new people, under Jehovah God.
Rahab faced a war that would ravage her city. She chose to live out her faith in the God who was not yet her own. She did this not knowing if her choice would condemn her to death for treason or whether the foreigners would even honor their vow to her.
Rahab lowered a scarlet rope from her window to alert the Israelites to save her family from destruction. She did not realize this act created a beautiful foreshadowing of the scarlet blood of Jesus Christ, who would deliver eternal salvation for all. Rahab sought deliverance for herself and her family. However, she could not know that God’s grace and forgiveness would include Rahab in the lineage of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ, her very own descendent.
I don’t know what the future holds. I don’t know what our world will look like next week, next month, or next year. I don’t know when my children will be able to attend school in person. I don’t know if I will ever feel comfortable being in public without a mask on. I don’t know if human beings will learn to appreciate the beauty of our differences and celebrate the joys of our similarities. However, I remember how God beautifully wove the tapestry of Rahab’s life by placing her exactly where she needed to be, softening her heart to recognize Him, and exquisitely redeeming her. Our God is just as in control today as He was for Rahab. On that, we can rely.
Praise be to God.