"The Faithfulness of Ra-hab"

The foundation of this blog and the steady ground upon which Christians walk is faith. Faith is having that belief, that constant, that hope for something for which we can not see. Christians would say this constant hope they believe in is the One true GOD that sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins. With Him sending Jesus to die for our sins, we have been covered. Our sins have been washed away and they can be thrown in the deepest parts of the sea and never think of them again. We that truly have put our faith and trust in Him, never have to live in fear. We always have a friend. And now as a child of the King, we have brothers and sisters in Christ.

Looking at Ra-hab, I see someone of immense faith in God. In Joshua chapter 2, Joshua sends spies to the land of Jericho to view the land before Joshua lead the children of Israel through it. There, the two spies landed in Ra-hab's house to hide out. She took them in without a second thought... If someone was to come to my house, even if they tell of who they were, I would be weary of letting them in and staying. Well, the king of Jericho gets ear about spies and sends out his men searching. The king's men go to Ra-hab, questioning her about the spies that were in her home. But, before they arrived, Ra-hab took the spies and hid them on the roof of her house. When the coast was clear, Ra-hab talked with the spies. She had heard how God brought the children of Israel through the wilderness and how He had parted the red sea. She said,

"As soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage than any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath." (Joshua 2: 11, KJV)

If you do not know the story of Ra-hab and the spies, maybe you have not heard her backstory. Ra-hab was an harlot. In other words, she was a prostitute. But, the key word here is "was." Ra-hab has been forgiven because she has put her faith and trust in God. When, He deals with us about being lost and we come to the realization that we need a Savior, we can ask for forgiveness of the unrighteousness we have committed. This great God takes those sins and throws them away. So you know, the only thing to ever bring up our sins again is Satan himself.

Looking at the spies, they did not take a look at what all Ra-hab had done and dismiss her. They were not even looking to use her because of her faithfulness. A past is called a past because it is not what is going on right now. What we do right now is what matters. Often times, we tend to be the judges and look at people a little differently because we know of some things they had done before they turned their lives over to the Lord. There could possibly be someone we know that even after they got saved, they committed a big sin and we do not look at them the same. This is so wrong. God loves the same. God cares for them the same. God did not unsave them. If they are sorry for what they have done and have repented and have received forgiveness, we should be an encouragement. If you keep bringing up sins a person has committed, you're not necessarily following after God, but Satan.

Speaking to those Christians out there... Do not feel like you can not serve God after committing sin. This is the amazing thing about God's love, when He forgives, He forgets. Sin that is committed often hinders our worship. Do not go without praying and asking for His forgiveness, because we are in constant need of it. Ra-hab did not let her past stop her. Our sins does not define us, it is what we do after the sin that counts.

If you do not know the Lord as your Savior, if you have not received forgiveness of you sins, I urge you to listen. When God opens your eyes and you see you are not following after Him, you have not asked Him into your heart, you have not repented of your sins, bow down where you are at. Bow down and tell Him that you believe that Jesus sent His Son to die for you, that you are a sinner in need of salvation and you need Him. This will be the best decision you could ever make. You will then begin growing and could have

the faithfulness of Ra-hab.