ANOTHER STORY OF COURAGE

Yesterday, we talked about courage in the life of Joshua. Over and over, in chapter 1 of Joshua God tells him to be strong of great courage.  Courage doesn't mean you are not afraid but it means that you are trusting God to help you in-spite of the fears you might have.  There are many other stories of courage in the Bible but there is one that I didn't have time to develop yesterday - it is the story of Rahab - the Harlot.
Her house was built on the walls of Jericho and had easy access to the men who would pay for her services. Yet, in-spite of all that - God was doing something in her heart.  She was hearing stories about the God of the Israelites and all the miracles He was doing in their camp.  Her heart was yearning for something more and deeper in her life.  I'm sure that she had been fed thousands of lies about her worth and what she could do.  She knew that was something more for her life and what she could do but didn't know exactly what it was. But one day everything changed when she was visited by some men that would give her a God-given dream about her life and what God wanted to do with her.  She helped the men hide out and let them escape down the outer wall with a promise for a better future.  They promised her that she and her household would be saved if they saw the "scarlet cord" hanging from her window.  She followed their instructions and, when the Israelites overtook the town - they took her in and she became a vital part of Jewish history by becoming one of the ancestors of Jesus Himself.  The scarlet cord represents the blood of Jesus to us today.  Your past might seem dismal and your past might look sketchy but your future is filled with the God-given promise that God can change for you today.  The scarlet cord became a symbol that Jesus gives us a hope and a future.  Yes, it took courage for Rahab to do what she did but her courage brought a whole new dimension and blessing to her life that we are still talking about all these years later.  You might not have courage today but consider the courage of this young woman - Rahab and see that the same God who came into her life is willing and waiting to come into your life today also.  Have a blessed week!