Hebrews 11

The Faith of Rahab

/ pastorpete51 / 6 Comments 
By faith, Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. Hebrews 11:32 ESV

Who wants to have the faith of Rahab? Hmm, I’m not seeing any hands, and that is probably because, her occupation makes us question her character. Yet, Rahab is one of only two women listed in this list of the heroes of faith (the other being Sarah). So, to better understand her story, let’s turn to the Old Testament book of Joshua. In chapter two, we learn that two spies were sent to check on the situation in Jericho. There in Jericho, they stayed at the house where Rahab lived. Now, before getting the wrong idea about why they picked that house, consider that this was probably an inn for travelers. Furthermore, it was probable that her Father owned it and had put his children to work, cooking meals, cleaning guest rooms and to Rahab he assigned an occupation that brought him a little extra cash, Wow! Now that shines an entirely different light on things. Rather than being a woman of ill repute, Rahab was more like an abused daughter. From that perspective, Rahab was in fact being quite courageous by taking in the spies and hiding them. She also chose to put her faith in the God of Israel. For any doubters, lets listen to her words:

The LORD, He is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. Joshua 2:11b

Also notice that neither her dad, her brothers or sisters offered to help, but Rahab, did and she also made sure that the family who had taken advantage of her, would be protected.

Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father's house, and give me a sure sign Joshua 2:12 ESV

Lastly and most amazing of all, Rahab is not only listed here next to Abraham, Moses, and David, but she is also included in the family line of Jesus Christ. This amazing, courageous woman displayed a faith that is an example for us all. So now, who wants to have the faith of Rahab? Put me on that list!

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Step Away From the Puzzle

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments 
These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 
Hebrews 11:13 ESV

Years ago, book lovers often subscribed to book-of-the-month clubs and one of the most popular was the Reader’s Digest. Their angle was to condense books down from their original length, and then bundle 4-5 novels into a single volume. (Think War and Peace down to 120 pages!). Though this was usually a big hit, one of their flops was an ill-conceived attempt to condense the Bible. Turns out folks didn’t want the Good Book being slimmed down! Yet, in Hebrews chapter eleven, God does, what those editors couldn’t, and gives in just forty verses a condensed version of all the heroes of the Old Testament. Today’s passage tells us that these people hadn’t received all of God’s promises, but they got a glimpse of them from far away.

That long distance perspective reminded me of putting together a jig-saw puzzle. God’s promise is the beautiful picture on the front of the box, but what I see is more like a heap of pieces dumped on a table. Some of them I put aside for edges, while others I group by color, but few fit easily together. But just as the Bible heroes stepped back and greeted their promises from afar, sometimes the best puzzle strategy is to step away. After too much time up close, we need to rest our eyes. Then, almost miraculously, on when we return, we see patterns that just leap out at us, and we make progress. The worst thing is to keep trying to force pieces together without perspective. In the Bible, that approach has led to some terrible decisions. Abraham took a second wife when Sarah didn’t get pregnant, Moses killed an Egyptian, and David got tangled up with Bathsheba, just to name a few. If our own lives were condensed into forty verses, I am sure there would be enough to scandalize all our friends and family! But if we just step back, God will help us see His promises from afar. That viewpoint is a reminder that we aren’t on a predetermined schedule and only God can see the whole picture on the front of the box. So, take a breath, step away from the puzzle for a moment and God will give you the wisdom to fit together that puzzle, one piece at a time!