Used by God or Just Used
Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly saying, “Go view the land especially Jericho.” So they went, and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there. But the woman had taken the two spies and hidden them. She said "Yes the men came to me but I did not know where they had come from. At dusk when it was time to close the city gate the men left. I don't know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them." (But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof.) Joshua 2:1, 4-5
Rahab, a prostitute and apparently a liar is first seen in the book of Joshua and then again in the book of Matthew. In Matthew 1:5a it reads "Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab." That little harlot married one of those spies. It sounds like a juicy crime novel from back in the ‘20’s doesn't it? In fact it is a great story that can give us hope in our worst moments.
It is my guess that every one of us has looked in a mirror or sat in a quiet room and felt disappointment or even disgust at our own actions. Speaking for myself I've certainly regretted a few falsehoods in my time and I'm sure Ill regret a few more. I may not have spent any time as a prostitute but I'm sure my actions have caused my Father’s heart pain.
When that realization hits, when I know that I have offended God I take heart in knowing that He loves us no matter what. Our sister Rahab is one proof that He does. Rahab lived in a society of many gods but she wasn't satisfied. Watching the Israelites, hearing stories about them she became curious about their God, the one true God. Because of her great faith her life was spared when her countrymen were defeated. Rahab went on to become the wife of one of those spies, Salmon and bear Boaz becoming part of a direct line to Jesus.
It makes no difference what is in your past or what sin you believe cannot be forgiven. Our Lord forgives all sin. In the line of Jesus with Rahab is Tamar, who pretended to be a prostitute to lure her father-in-law. These are not noble acts, but both women had great faith in the promises of God, a God neither of them had been raised to believe in or worship.
Whether your faith is new or mature, greatly or only slightly blemished is of no concern to God. He just wants us all to bow to His will. Trust and obey. We beat ourselves up with past mistakes but our dear Lord sees them as growing pains. Rahab and Tamar both made some pretty bad decisions but God was still able to use them. He can use each one of us too, if like Rahab and Tamar we will let Him.
Rahab, a prostitute and apparently a liar is first seen in the book of Joshua and then again in the book of Matthew. In Matthew 1:5a it reads "Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab." That little harlot married one of those spies. It sounds like a juicy crime novel from back in the ‘20’s doesn't it? In fact it is a great story that can give us hope in our worst moments.
It is my guess that every one of us has looked in a mirror or sat in a quiet room and felt disappointment or even disgust at our own actions. Speaking for myself I've certainly regretted a few falsehoods in my time and I'm sure Ill regret a few more. I may not have spent any time as a prostitute but I'm sure my actions have caused my Father’s heart pain.
When that realization hits, when I know that I have offended God I take heart in knowing that He loves us no matter what. Our sister Rahab is one proof that He does. Rahab lived in a society of many gods but she wasn't satisfied. Watching the Israelites, hearing stories about them she became curious about their God, the one true God. Because of her great faith her life was spared when her countrymen were defeated. Rahab went on to become the wife of one of those spies, Salmon and bear Boaz becoming part of a direct line to Jesus.
It makes no difference what is in your past or what sin you believe cannot be forgiven. Our Lord forgives all sin. In the line of Jesus with Rahab is Tamar, who pretended to be a prostitute to lure her father-in-law. These are not noble acts, but both women had great faith in the promises of God, a God neither of them had been raised to believe in or worship.
Whether your faith is new or mature, greatly or only slightly blemished is of no concern to God. He just wants us all to bow to His will. Trust and obey. We beat ourselves up with past mistakes but our dear Lord sees them as growing pains. Rahab and Tamar both made some pretty bad decisions but God was still able to use them. He can use each one of us too, if like Rahab and Tamar we will let Him.
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