“By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.” (Hebrews 11:31)

ONE OF THESE THINGS IS NOT LIKE THE OTHERS … Noah Abraham Jacob Joseph Moses Joshua Rahab

RAHAB Rahab was a “three-strike” kind of person and perhaps the least likely person to show up on a Hall of Faith list.

Rahab hid the trapped Israelite spies under some stalks of flax that she had been drying on the roof of her home, sent the troops pursuing them on a wild goose chase and engineered the spies’ escape through a window in her home.

“I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, 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. Give me a sure sign that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them—and that you will save us from death.” (Joshua 2:8-13)

Rahab expressed an amazing openness to the reality of a God she had never “seen”; a God of whom she had only heard stories. She threw her lot in with the Israelites, siding with the God of Israel, at great risk to her own life.

Rahab expressed a confidence in God’s promises to His people and sought to see herself and her family included in this same promise. Rahab and her family chose to live among the Israelites, eventually becoming a direct ancestor of Jesus Christ.

Are we open to being used by God? “We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7)

Have we written off the Rahabs of our world; jettisoning the idea that God could ever use such an unusable person to accomplish His will? “We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7)

Have you eliminated yourself from being used by God because you believe you are too weak, too foolish, too much like Rahab to be used by God? “We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7)

The example of Rahab encourages us to recognize Jesus for who He is in all His incredible glory and to remain open to being used by Him with whatever it is we have at our disposal to do so. Might we be a people who remain open and available for use by God and might our community be changed eternally because of it!