God’s Redemptive Grace

Welcome to day three of our Daily Devotionals springing from the life of Rahab found in Scripture.  Check out this blog post to read more about her.

Like Rahab, when we are willing to open ourselves to receive God’s gift of love He will not only give us eternal life but will rescue us from our circumstances today.  Oh, there is a consequence for sin and I am confident that Rahab didn’t just suddenly live a wonderful life.  But the scars that sin leaves on our hearts can serve as a reminder of where we were and what God rescued us from. Such was Rahab’s story, recorded by God as an example of His redeeming power.  Redemption means rescue and God rescued Rahab and He is faithful to rescue you and I today when we are willing to seek Him.

Because Rahab remained faithful, God honored her by first saving her family from death when Jericho was captured then with a faith legacy we read about still  today in the “Hall of Faith”, Hebrews 11.  She is one of few women mentioned in the lineage of Jesus Christ. 

What in your life needs rescuing today?  I know there are areas of my life that I need Him to rescue—

Oh, Lord Jesus Christ, I need your redemptive grace today.  I have a relationship that is broken—rescue it please.  I feel as though I am drowning in the financial challenges that have hit our family—rescue us please.  Lord Jesus, I know there are consequences for the mistakes I have made, so I ask for your forgiveness and restoration because of Your redeeming love.  I don’t deserve it and can’t earn it but I ask for your grace today.  Amen.  

Additional Study:  Psalm 31:5, Psalm 44:5, Luke 7:36-49, Galatians 4:5, Titus 2:14

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Prevenient Grace

Welcome to day two of our Daily Devotionals springing from the life of Rahab found in Scripture.  Check out this blog post to read more about her.

Prevenient grace is an uncommon term today, yet so relevant.  It means the grace God extended before I knew Him so that I might even have the opportunity to meet Him as my Savior and Lord.  It is the grace extended while He was searching for me when I didn’t even know He was looking for me.  What love! 

As a parent, especially a mom, we have experienced prevenient grace.  We love our babies in the womb (or at the time we heard the news of an adoption) before we ever met them in person.  When pregnant, it is hard to imagine that we could love our little one more at birth, but we do.  Yet, that doesn’t change the fact that we loved them before holding them in our arms—prevenient grace.  Such should be the love we extend to ourselves, to our family members and to those in our community and world—the love and grace of God that was shown to us and to them before there is a personal relationship with God and Jesus Christ as Lord. 

Lord Jesus Christ, help me extend an invitation today to those who don’t know Your mercy and grace so we might all come to enjoy Your best for each of us. Lord, you are never surprised at where we have been.  Your grace and mercy are always waiting.  Help me be an effective instrument in Your hands to share that message in my actions and words with others today.  Amen.         

Additional Study:  Ephesians 1:4-6, Psalm 139, Psalm 119:73

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Reflecting His Mercy

Welcome to our first day of Daily Devotionals from the life of Rahab.  For more of her story, go here.

I am just old enough that when I see tattoos, pants hanging on hips, piercings in unusual parts of the face, I cringe.  Then, I remember how the Lord God must want to cringe when He looks at my excessive waistline, my cluttered desk or other areas of my life that exhibit my own rebellious nature or undisciplined life.  Those thoughts always bring me to the mercy He showed me when He met me where I was and loved me freely without demanding I conform to some community accepted standard.  The spies sent to Jericho who witnessed to Rahab might have been very uncomfortable approaching her for assistance—after all, they would have learned quickly what she did as a profession and these were Godly men.  Yet, because they did approach her, she and her whole family were saved.  What if they hadn’t been willing to extend mercy because she was different? 

Singer Steve Green sings a song, Where His Mercy Begins, and I am reminded that I need to extend the same mercy that has so graciously been extended to me toward others.  Meeting needs and offering welcoming love to the homeless, to those ashamed, to those who have made different life choices than I have made means that the Lord might use me to offer His gift of love and salvation. 

Remember a passion for souls that does not come from God comes from a desire to convert people to our point of view…we must first seek a right relationship with Jesus ourselves—be a disciple and then remain true to the call of God—that is to disciple men and women to Jesus. 

Oh, Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for loving me enough to search for me before I was searching for you.  Like Rahab, I was lost and You sent someone to explain Your love and mercy.  Help me be that someone You send to communicate that message of love and mercy to others.  Give me Your eyes of love and Your words of mercy and grace so I reflect You as I go out about today, whether here in my home with my family or out into the world.  Amen. 

Additional Study:  Luke 15:11-32, Ephesians 2:4-8, I Timothy 1:13-16, Titus 3:5

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Rahab

For every woman who has a checkered past, who has “messed up” in her life at some point, Rahab shines out as a source of hope.

Rahab was a prostitute who lived in her own house of ill repute inside the city of Jericho.  When Joshua sent some Israelite spies in to check out the city, for whatever reason the spies decided they would enter her house.  That night, when word travelled all the way up to the king that these two men were in Rahab’s house, she deliberately lied that they had left, hid them for the night, and announced to them:

I know that the Lord has given this land to you…for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and earth below. (Esther 2)

A New Testament passage spells out more of what was going on deep in Rahab’s heart:

By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. (Hebrews 11:31)

Honored for her faith!  Rahab is honored in Scripture for a repentant heart that turned in faith toward God.  Her very life was preserved!  And she was blessed to be placed in the lineage of  the future Messiah. (Matthew 1:5)  Rahab was running a house of prostitution, but God was still interested in using her for His plans and purposes for the people of Israel, and for the entire world.  She was a sinner, yet God welcomed her faith and placed her firmly in a place of honor.

Are there spots from your past that you still remember with a cringe?  Are you currently struggling with a sin but want to turn from it in faith?

How can we be influenced by Rahab’s story?  By stepping away from that sin we struggle with or that memory or past sin that wants to keep us captive.  We can turn towards God in faith!  He will honor our desire to please Him and to serve Him.

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