“Joshua sent two men secretly as spies [to] view… Jericho. They came into the house of a prostitute Rahab and lodged there… Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, ‘Bring out the men,.. for they have come to search out the land.’ But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them… 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…
“Before the men lay down, she… said, ‘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. We have heard how the Lord dried up the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og… Our hearts melted,.. for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. Please swear to me by the Lord that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a sure sign that you will… deliver our lives from death.’ The men said, ‘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…’
“When we come into the land, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and you shall gather into your house… all your father’s household… And she said, ‘According to your words, so be it.’ Then they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window.” Joshua 2:1,3-4,6,8-14,18,21
Faith is indeed a gift from God, and it comes to the most unlikely of persons. The heathen Rahab boldly believed unto life, and a future place in the lineage of Christ. Her faith would become us all in magnifying God’s grace. (Matthew 1:5; Ephesians 2:8-10; Hebrews 11:31)
Faith fears Almighty God with reverence and wonder, for it acknowledges His greatness. It hears His works and is stoked to confidence in His plans, and the power to bring them to pass.
Faith sees the Lord as larger and stronger than my sin, the life-giving Redeemer. It holds Him high, the One having sovereign authority, and trusts His mercy and grace. Because of His greatness, any other famous one can be brought to naught. He delivers His own from death and so is worthy of my allegiance. (Psalm 123:1-2)
And faith does God’s ordained works. It ties the scarlet cord in the window, making bold claims on God’s promises. It believes His eternal protection and proclaims its identity as His own.
How can I trust God anew? With what confidence will I act on His behalf, taking risk when faced with opposition for what I know is true and right? With what big situation can I claim His victory, as over Sihon and Og? What am I holding back from casting with my lot upon Him? Do I say ‘I know His deeds, but He will never do that for me’? Or will I humbly, and without hesitation, reckon on His ability and Word?
Father, develop my faith to become You, to trust absolutely and show forth Your great promises and power.
As the rain and snow 