Astounding Faith
A guest blog by Rebecca DeLucia, Next Generation Pastor
Have you ever met someone whose faith is so astounding it leaves an impression on you, maybe it even challenges you? I imagine that Rahab was one of those people for the two spies in Jericho. She certainly ought to be for us, as we read her story in Central Reads today.
The Israelites had just wandered the desert for 40 years because of their lack of faith in the God whom they saw first-hand reign down plagues and part seas. Yet here is a prostitute, who through just hearing the stories of God, a God that was not her own, had enough faith to declare (in Joshua 2:11),
“The Lord your God is indeed God in heaven above and on earth below.”
Rahab’s faith must have been astounding to the spies. Perhaps it emboldened them to continue on their mission, reminding them in that moment of God’s faithfulness to the nation of Israel despite continuous complaining and rebellion.
The spies trusted Rahab to lie for them, freeing them from the city. And then her faith continued to be demonstrated as she hung the red cord out her window. Imagine the fear and terror spreading throughout the city being seized and making the bold move to stay put as trumpets blare and soldiers march around you for seven days. In the midst of that Rahab continued to demonstrate faith even when the walls were coming down around her.
Astounding faith that leaves an impression does that: it holds fast when things crash down around you.
When the world comes at you from all sides, it clings to truth and echoes God’s faithfulness even when others around you doubt. And astounding faith leaves a legacy behind it that lasts for generations.
Rahab can be found in the genealogy of Jesus – talk about a legacy – (Matthew 1:5). And when we have faith because of God’s faithfulness we too get to be a part of the family of God. Ephesians 1:5-6 tells us that “He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”
Because of God’s astounding faithfulness we get to have astounding faith, we get to leave a legacy of trust.
May your lives, your stories, and your faith be such that when people encounter you they are struck by your astounding faith. May they walk away from time spent with you or from hearing your stories and be overwhelmed by the fact that “The Lord your God is indeed God in heaven above and on earth below.”