This past Sunday’s sermon at church was good. Rahab’s story was the topic, and a couple of points really hit home. I even got to be a sermon illustration for the bit about waiting on God for the fulfillment of His promises. 🙂 Waiting is certainly a skill I’ve been getting to practice for a number of months (or in some cases, years), but that isn’t the point of the sermon that impacted me the most – perhaps because of all the practice I’ve been getting already. (For those wondering, I’m still waiting for the visa answer.)
Rahab’s story can be found starting in Joshua 2. She hid a couple of Israelite spies in Jericho and secured a promise of protection for her family when the city fell to the Israelites. In verses 10-11, she says to the men, “…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 utterly destroyed. When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.”
That is all Rahab knows about God, rumors of His power on behalf of His people. She had no experience of her own of His power, but the rumors were enough to convince her that she was willing to risk her life to be a part of His story and one of His people. (By the way, that step of faith landed her in the short list of women named in the genealogy of Jesus Christ.)
I have story after story of my own experience of God’s faithfulness to me and those I love. I have seen His power, provision, protection and guidance over and over again throughout my life. I’ve stepped “out of the boat” on a number of occasions. I’ve decided repeatedly to be a part of God’s story and trusted Him with my life, my finances, my future. So, what challenged me about this section of Rahab’s story?
Her certainty in the outcome she hoped for – the protection of her family.
The thought that struck me as this point was talked about was how I have been surprised by answered prayer in recent days. There are several prayers I have prayed on behalf of myself, family, and friends for months. Within the past few weeks, I have begun to see answers to a few of those prayers, and my response has been stunned praise and thanksgiving.
Obviously praise and thanksgiving are appropriate responses to answered prayer, but it disturbed me to realize how shocked I felt at some of the answers. If I truly believe I’m praying according to God’s will, and He has the power to answer, why should I be surprised when He does it? It was a challenging thought.
What are you praying for today? Do you really believe God can and will answer?
