If God can recognize somebody with Rahab’s background and still make her useful, He can still turn you around and make you useful for the kingdom of God and for the advancement of what God is doing in history.- Tony Evans
Rahab was a pagan, a Canaanite, a prostitute…a woman with a past.
I’d venture to say, she is the most unlikely woman to be included in Jesus’s genealogy listed in Matthew 1.
Friends, are you seeing this pattern… again and again? God is showing us through our Lord, Jesus Christ’s genealogy, that He uses broken women.
Women who are not perfect.
Women who don’t have it all together.
Women who are stained with shame.
Women who have reputations.
He chose them to be a part of His lineage just like He chooses you to be a part of this amazing story He is writing through our lives…for His glory!
I’m so excited that God, in His amazing mercy, included Rahab in Jesus’s genealogy. Why? Because we need this story…we need her story. As women who fall short of His glory daily, we need to be reminded God can do an amazing work through each and everyone of us if we allow Him to.
We need to be reminded that God can do an amazing work through OUR lives.
Rahab was a woman who made very poor decisions in her past.
Rahab was an outcast.
Yet, Rahab became a woman who had an amazing amount of faith and she put her faith into action! She placed God above her devotion to her people, her country and even her life!
Before the men lay down, she came up to them on the roof and said to the men, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. 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 that you will save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.” And the men said to her, “Our life for yours even to death! If you do not tell this business of ours, then when the LORD gives us the land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.” Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the city wall, so that she lived in the wall. And she said to them, “Go into the hills, or the pursuers will encounter you, and hide there three days until the pursuers have returned. Then afterward you may go your way.”- Joshua 2:8-16
Through her faith in God, Rahab didn’t let her past define who she could become in her future.
With God, our past becomes an amazing opportunity to show how He redeems those who turn to Him. Because of our pasts, we can bring glory to the amazing reality of the power of God and His ability to change lives.
Rahab was a woman with a past, but with God’s help, she became a woman with an unimaginable fairy tale ending.
Remember the two spies Rahab hid? Well she ends up marrying one of them…Salmon and together they have Boaz.
“As the result of her marriage to Salmon, one of the two spies whom she had saved, who “paid back the life he owed her by a love that was honorable and true,” Rahab became an ancestress in the royal line from which Jesus came as the Savior of lost souls. “Poor Rahab, the muddy, the defiled, became the fountainhead of the River of the Water of Life which flowed out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.” Her name became sanctified and ennobled, and is worthy of inclusion among many saints.”- Bible Gateway- All the Women of the Bible- Rahab- Chapter 2
If God can change the life of Rahab the prostitute…He can change your life too.
{The Road to Christmas} this road of grace…God paved the way using men and women’s lives we can relate to so we see no one is out of His reach…we all need this amazing road of grace that leads to that tiny baby in a manger, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Let’s Talk:
What are some steps you can take to help you embrace who you are in Christ and move beyond the label of your past? Write down 2 Corinthians 5:17, you are a new creation in Christ. The old is gone, the new has come. Take time to embrace who you are now in Christ Jesus and move forward in your faith. Today I invite you to share your stories of how God has changed you and help give hope to those who may be struggling today.
Love God Greatly!
PS: Just so you know….we are crazy thankful for you!!!
It’s so amazing that you mention that verse! It’s currently on the cover to my phone. A blessed reminder each time I look at it. And now a reminder, before I log onto anything else, that I am not defined by my past. I am a new creation. Therefore, I must act new as well. Each call, each text, each post on social media-a reminder of who I am in Christ. New, redeemed, forgiven and dearly loved. Like Rahab, I have a past. Like Rahab, I am new. May He use my life for His glory alone!!
Jennifer, That is a fantastic reminder, indeed! I love that idea for a phone lock screen. Your comment blessed me today,
Amy A (LGG Encourager)
Even just 4 and 5 short months ago I was suicidal, lost, and broken. Dealing with a needed and planned divorce, a single mother of two young children, struggling to just get through the hurt, pain, and anger. My church family stepped in and would not let me continue on the path I was on. I couldn’t pray especially for myself, but they were. Slowly with the help of a Christian counselor, my faith, and a wonderful church family I began to really see how God was and had always been working in my life. Then I started praying. The first prayers were giving the suicidal thoughts to God and asking for peace. As that worked I expanded my prayers. Today I’m doing well. My children and I are making a life centered around God. I have hope and faith and know that it was because God put the right people in my life at the right time that I am where I am today. He is amazing and has worked wonders in my life to take me from a suicidal depressed mess to a thriving woman doing her best to serve Him.
Florence, your story brought tears to my eyes this morning. Thank you for sharing your heart — you reminded me of how important it is to be connected to others who will help me keep walking on dark days. May God bless you and your kiddos and give you even greater beauty for ashes in the days ahead. He is going to use you in big ways to bless others who are hurting.
Blessings,
Lyli
LGG Encourager
What a beautiful testimony of the power of Jesus to transform a life/heart into His likeness. Praying for you sister Florence.
I have always been so sure of where God wanted me to be. The last 28 years I’ve worked in the health care field. Then due to circumstance of being over worked & high stress I left my job of 14 years. So the last 4 years I’ve been semi-retired. Yet as I go back into the work force I struggle with feeling like a failure due to the last year & half on my old job. I run in fear that I want succeed, I continually question myself if I’m where God wants me to be. I’ve started several different adventures that I thought was where God was leading me only to be so afraid that I fond myself praying that I was wrong and that this was not where God wanted me and nothing worked out. I want to start my own home care business and I’m so afraid of failure that I want to pull the blankets over my head and hide. When I left my job I was suicidal, it seemed everything I did my boss found something wrong with it, it was like I couldn’t do the job anymore. I love working with people, and I so want to give and help, yet I afraid to step out and put myself back into the work force without a safety net to fall into when I fail. I’ve actually gone back to work with the person that stressed me so much at my old job, because at least I know how things are. I did for a few months then God reminded me why He removed me from there. I know God is working to restore me. Please pray that this struggle & grip that fear has on me, God will remove. I really want to move forward and I feel stuck in the past. I have low self-esteem, low grade depression and at times I honestly can’t see how God can use me. It’s not that I’m uneducated I have several degrees, I’m certified in my field, I have helped others get their company up and going, I even have a small company of my own, that I go into nursing home, assisted living and do a show, yet I feel even in this I’m somehow failing God. Need prays please…
I’m praying for you, Ric!
Ric, praying for you! Thank you for sharing your story with us today!
Blessings, Marlene {Lgg ENcourager}
You ladies that commented, thank you. God always reminds me that I am not who I was. I struggle daily with feeling like I fail God, because I am still not where I would like to be. I cry out daily to my savior, Make me more like you, Jesus. He is and by faith I know his grace carries me and He will never leave me or forsake me. It’s not because of my goodness or not, only my faith will save me in the end. There is too much to share here, but I will say that I have been clean and sober for 5 yrs. only by the grace of God. I am now raising my 5 yr. old nephew and he is such a blessing to me. I am excited for our Christmas this year. My eyes are being opened slowly but wow! I love what I see today. Praising the Lord for all of you.
Amen to that! Love how you said “He is and by faith I know His grace carries me and He will never leave me or forsake me” . Love that!
Praising Him with you, Carol!
Blessings, Marlene {LGG Encourager}
I am being so blessed by Rahab’s story. Thank you for preparing and sharing it. To me its a story of radical faith and radical obedience that allows God to use someone for magnificent means. Rahab, a foreign, pagan, prostitute abandoned all she knew to follow the one true God. She gave herself, her family and all she had completely over to God. As a result, God could use completely her, even including her in the lineage of the Messiah! At the time she was likely just thinking of the safety of herself and her loved ones. She had no idea that God’s plans for us can extend for centuries! It’s so amazing and I’m humbled at our glorious God! Holy Spirit, help me to develop Rahab’s radical faith and obedience so that God may radically use me in his plan for my life and his plan for history. Praise God!
Monica, love hearing that you’re enjoying the study! Thank you for being here!
Blessings, Marlene {LGG Encourager}
Hi i was also once walking in the shadows of Rehab and for more than 20 years the strugls and things that put me near death meny times and thats not even a start at the life i i had and the lowself esteem do to all those years of drugs prostitution and almost everything but murder if i could hlp even one soul id make it first on my chrisrmas liist.
Ruby, I am praying for your Christmas list! Thank you for sharing.
Another beautiful devotional. Thanks so much for the encouragement and reminder that God’s grace is endless.
Thank you for your kind works Eva!
Blessings, Marlene {LGG Encourager}
Thank you for this beautiful reminder! A mentor friend of mine says, “Whatever Jesus can’t bless, He can surely redeem!” I have certainly found this to be true. As a teenager, I turned toward all sorts of impurity and at 17 y/o became pregnant with my first child. I had an abortion at 12.5 weeks and my spirit was never the same- a part of me died that day. I went on to immerse myself in alcohol and other destructive choices. I went to church with my family, but had no personal/relational connection with Jesus. Then, at age 19, when I was sitting with a group of friends that were all drug-impaired- I thought, “Is this really all there is to life?” I was miserable, but wanted more. A couple ladies invited me to their church and began studying the Bible with me. I saw the truth in Scripture about my sin, but also saw Jesus, who wanted me- so much so He gave His very life for me. Such devotion I always longed for and never could find…but, I was struck! I no longer wanted to walk in darkness! For the first time I felt hope that I could change and life would no longer be empty. I turned my heart toward God and committed my heart, mind and spirit to Him. I vowed my purity to Him and Him alone, unless He clearly gave me in marriage to a man that loved me only second to Him. I enjoyed 8.5 beautiful years in single devotion to Jesus before He brought me to my husband, who had waited in purity for his wife. What a gift! Also, God blessed me with the opportunity to be involved with helping women in crisis-pregnancies and I had the honor to walk alongside several women that contemplated abortion, but changed their mind and turned to me and others for support. One dear woman gave me the privilege of naming her son, rescued from abortion! He was born December 15th and I named him, Emmanuel. God showed me that what was intended for evil against my first child, is able to be used for His glory and goodness. My child’s life speaks and matters as I share and reach out to mamas. Now, I have my own precious little girl and she has taught me more about the Grace of God the past four years than I could imagine. I now have my own business partnering with women around the globe to empower them out of poverty, the sex-trade, sweatshops, etc- God has given me incredible work to bring health, safety and freedom to others and the ultimate freedom, being free in Jesus. Praise Him!
I should add that December 21st marks 17 years of walking closely with Jesus <3 I am just so grateful for His faithfulness, love, grace, mercy, compassion and the gift of walking in connection with Him every day.
Wow Spring! Thank you SO much for sharing that beautiful story of yours with us! Such a blessing to see His work in our lives! Praising Him with you friend!
Blessings, Marlene {LGG Encourager}
Thank you so much for sharing your stories God is awesome. When I look over my life I know God has always been there holding me up. Psalm 139 13 You have formed my inward parts you have covered me in my mothers womb. I was adopted into a loving family with an older brother and sister, both adopted also. My parents always told us we were special because they picked us out. I grew up never having any bad feelings of being adopted. I grew up a rebel thou. I had my daughter at 15, met my husband at 19 and had my son at 20. We made bad choices we were heavy into drugs, dealing drugs. I moved my children in and out of places, seperated from my husband on and off, always fighting. Until a man tryed to kill me by strangling me. That was it I moved back in with my husband and was determined to make things work. My girlfriends friend introduced me to Jesus. I remember it so well. I got involved in a wonderful church, raised my children in the church. We did it all jr. Choir, sunday school, youth group, vbs. It was all good except one thing. My husband didn’t believe and didn’t go with us. Oh how I prayed and the church prayed for him. I knew it was going to have to be something big to happen I just had no idea what and how big. Well my children grew up and was doing their own thing. My faith was tested. I’m a mom, all I know is to be a mom, I love being a mom. Empty nest syndrome. Did you see it coming? I didn’t. My husband was busy doing his own thing. So I had to find things to do. I was tired of being the responsible one praying for everybody always being the strong one. I went off the deep end had an affair, started partying, found new friends. The church heard and oh it was a big deal. The church was going thru changes with my preacher retiring, they had their own problems. The “prayer chain” turned into a gossip column. But while all this is happening to me God is working on my husband oh yes big time. He can’t believe the changes I’m going through. He gets saved!! Yes and he is not afraid to share his faith and he showed me true agape love. We just celebrated 30 years together, we have wonderful children and grandchildren. Only by the grace of God!
Thanks ladies.
God & I have a very checkered past, but what I didn’t know then is that He never left my side. I always saw myself as someone who was constantly giving back, someone who was a true friend to others, and someone who loved family above all other things. God has shown me how to take my old self & make it even greater in His name. I have incorporated Advent, Lent, feast days, weekly mass and so much more since completing RCIA in 2013–the grateful feeling I have for this journey is beyond words. There has been so much darkness to my days over the last few years, but I dwell more now on how my faith can help me to grow from these experiences and less on how I have been wronged.