510 - Take them at their word

Dear Jesus, I was reading from Joshua 2 this morning about my woman Rahab. There is not a ton we know about her, but much we can infer. I know that she birthed Boaz and he turned out to be a great man of God, very well respected and quite successful. She was said to be a prostitute and known by the officials in town. Hmmmm. Her house was connected to the city wall leading me to believe that the city folks were not the only ones to frequent her business. Even the outside world of Jericho knew her "name". But something happened.

The 2 spies that Joshua sent over to look everything over went straight to her house. They knew! But I am thinking they treated her differently than the normal guys. I know this is an obvious place for foreigners to come to since people were in and out of here quite often, but also this is the place I would like to believe that the Lord sent them. Why??????????? He works in mysterious ways. We know now that Rahab actually was in the lineage of Jesus. It had to happen this way. But it is not just that the guys went here and were hidden, something happen to my woman Rahab and it was a result of this encounter with these guys. She got up close and personal with a new customer and I believe it was the Lord Jesus!

Verse 9 says "I KNOW the Lord has given you this land..." That "know" there is one of the most important words in the Old Testament. It is "yada" and it is an all encompassing KNOW. Not just to know lightly, but to perceive, to understand, to be sure of, to be convinced, to know the Lord in some instances in the OT. Like a deep understanding and realization! Not only did Rahab understand that it was the Lord that gave them this land, she KNEW it was the LORD, the Yahweh LORD. I am looking into this story here, but just go with me. I think that Rahab had heard about all the things the LORD had done for these people. I would think going to a prostitute would be kind of like going to a hair cutter - i know this is a far stretch. There is going to be a little talking about some gossip or something before you get into the "cutting". So I am thinking she had heard some of the things that others had heard through the grapevine. She was well aware of things going on outside her city. PLUS - the city officials went straight to her house to see if she had been with the spies. "Yes, they were here, but have left." They knew enough to ask her first - I think some had been there themselves and maybe did some "talking".

But this time it was real followers of Yahweh that came for a visit. I am thinking they told to her and confirmed to her all that she had heard about their God. She KNEW! She believed and she came to know this God as well. God got up close and personal to this girl even in the midst of what she had going on. I am sure she answered the door thinking it was just another customer. Even as they might have said we are not wanting your business we are just needing a place to hid. "Yeah, yeah, yeah" must have rang in her mind - let's get on with it. But this was different. She KNEW!

Oh Lord Jesus I praise you!! You got up close and personal with this lady that was up close and personal with so many. Oh she was intimate, but not with you until this day. You came to visit in a very different way, through strangers, but became intimate with the lady Rahab. You did not wait till she had made a complete change. You didn't even wait until she had verbally committed to change her life with no actions taken yet. You met her in the midst of what she thought was going to be just another day and changed her!!! She KNEW!! Lord, I am not a prostitute, but there is some changing you want to do in my life. Just like this recent reconciliation with this friend. You did not wait until my heart was ready - you just came on in and did the house work! I was content at forever being caught up in inhabiting these bad feelings. But GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh Lord Jesus - thank you!! Thank you for changing me and for making a difference in Rahab's life. Thank you!!! I KNOW and she KNEW!! I love you!