A Prayer to Be Inspired by Rahab’s Faithfulness
Written By: Chelsey DeMatteis, Read By: Lia Girard
Bible Reading: “But she had brought them up to the roof and hid them with the stalks of flax that she had laid in order on the roof.” - Joshua 2:6
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Have you taken the time to reflect on the seasons of your life when you made one choice to be faithful to God and it changed the trajectory of everything else afterward? I have a few of those moments that stand out to me, so I challenge you to think of a few that stand out to you. Take time to write them down, and let's study the life of a woman in the Bible who did just this.
When we study the Bible, we find places all throughout its pages where people made one choice to be faithful in a situation God had put them in, and it changed everything, not just for them but for generations to come. When we look at the life of Rahab, we see the power of God in her life through one act of faithfulness. Let's unpack it together:
Joshua 2:8-14 says, "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.'”
In case you've never heard of Rahab before, she was incredibly unlikely to be used by God, given her resume on paper. She was known as a prostitute in her community, and from that, I think it's safe to assume she wasn't included in much by the women around her. I'd imagine her heart was hardened, sad, and filled with brokenness.
When God sent the spies into the land that they would soon conquer, they came upon Rahab for help, and one of the most incredible moments of testifying unfolds. Rahab shares, "For we have heard..." (vs 10), then she goes on testifying all she and her people had heard of. She knew these men were God's people, and the power of their testimony left her heart changed forever.
She chose to deal faithfully with these men and hide them. She chose to be faithful to God, though she hadn't been in a growing relationship with Him. What followed her one act of faithfulness caused generational change. Her faithfulness to God caused these men to deal faithfully and kindly with her and her family. If we look even farther down the line, Rahab is in the lineage of Jesus.
Watching this unfold in the life of Rahab should cause all of us to want to live a life of faithfulness in both the big and small. We should desire to be believers who are marked by the testimonies of God. To be those kind of believers means saying "yes" when God prompts and "no" when God says to stop. It's being discerning and seeking wisdom. It's trusting in God to have all the details planned before our choice of faithfulness is set into motion.
Let's Pray:
Lord, thank you for the gift of your faithfulness. What a gift it is to see the way you've been faithful from the very beginning of time. Help me to choose faithfulness in the big and small. Keep my heart close to yours as I seek to be marked by your goodness and grace. In Jesus' name, amen.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/kieferpix
Chelsey is the voice behind the Living with Less Podcast and author of the 52-week devotional More of Him, Less of Me: Living a Christ-centered Life in a Me-centered World. She writes devotions for Lifeway Women's Journey Magazine, Crosswalk.com, and iBelieve.com. She also writes Bible reading plans for the YouVersion Bible App. Chelsey lives in Ohio with her husband and two children. You can connect with her on Instagram @chelseydematteis and at her website ChelseyDeMatteis.com.
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