Redeemed ~

I am admittedly a lover of words, books, stories…

Spending way more time than i care to admit

awake after my family has fallen into dreams…

It has always been that way for me.

I can still remember as a little girl in my upstairs bedroom hiding beneath the covers with a flashlight

Often times to wake with the flashlight on and the book tangled in my sheets.

It has been a love affair for years.

Recently I have been studying Rahab.

Yes, the story of Rahab, the prostitute, the mother, God’s servant, Jesus relative.

My Father is the all-time best story teller.

I can get lost for hours in His words and stories He weaves.

Oh the detail, all good authors can paint a picture in my minds’ eye with details like Him.

I had read her story a time or two before but never dug into it across the chapter.

Across the bible like this.

Wow. What a testimony to God’s grace and redemption.

What a story of restoration.

He chose to take a prostitute from a city that was falling, save her, her family

and then, wait for it…. cast her directly into the blood line of Jesus, His son.

Certainly not what we would expect…

Really? The blood line of King? The Savior of the World?

That’s my God for you.

He is bigger than the situations we have gotten ourselves into and He loves us,

Chases after us, and is willing to restore what was meant for our harm.

No matter what. No matter who. No matter when.

His ways are always higher than our ways.

So often we can’t even fathom the scope of His mind.

But, it works out every. single. time. doesn’t it?

He took what the world saw and redeemed her.

He lifted her to place of dignity and grace.

She was obedient and faithful and He redeemed her.

Making her a woman of honor by placing her on the list of “who’s who’s”

in the line of Jesus genealogy.

She is also one of the only women noted in this list.

(matt 1:1-16)

That in and of itself speaks volumes to me.

God does nothing haphazardly, and mentioning her among a long list of men,

well, that says this is an important part of her story, His design.

Many years down the road she had a son, a son named Boaz.

Do you know Boaz?

Boaz too, came to rescue an unlikely woman, Ruth.

Ruth is a widow. During those days she likely having the responsibility of her mother in law may have never remarried and was likely destined to a life of hardship.

But Boaz saw so much more.
I can’t help but think being raised by Rahab impacted him.

Did her life experience trickle down into how she raised her son to view all people?

Did she raise her son to see the person and not the circumstance?

How many of us, me included God forgive, too often see the circumstance instead of the person?

And here, here a woman who was considered a prostitute, less than, undervalued second class citizen

Has it all figured out.

Trust God, Act in Faith, Love Others.

What simple, yet profound advice for us all through her life actions.

You see, her faith is what saved her.

It is what saves you and me.

No matter where you are today, no matter what you have done, or didn’t do

He loves you just the same. He is chasing after you to rescue you just the same.

You see God didn’t pursue Rahab, or me, or any other Christian I know once we had cleaned up our acts. It is quite the opposite actually. He pursued us while we were still a mess, and made us whole and new.

Friends, I encourage you today, he’s chasing you,

Just turn around, stop and let Him catch you.

You’ll be so glad you did.