by Steve Reeves

The city of Jericho was protected by a great wall. Inside the walls of Jericho lived a woman named Rahab who was used by God to protect his people. Rahab was a prostitute.

With her help the spies of Joshua were able to go undetected and obtain vital data in order to destroy the wall and conquer the city.

God Uses Ordinary People
Rahab had only heard that God had parted the Red Sea. She did not experience God’s miraculous power. She didn’t even know about God’s teachings. She did not know what was required of her to be forgiven of sins. But she was able to convince her family to have enough courage not to reveal or release the spies to the king’s men. She had enough faith to believe these men would allow her and her family to be spared.

Like Rahab, we too have a sinful past. The good news is that God used Rahab and he can use you and me. We are often afraid to step out in faith because of our past or the fear of failure. But God uses ordinary people who are open to his will.

God Uses Willing People
God was not deterred by Rahab’s sinfulness because she had experienced a change of heart.

Do you realize that God sees and knows our hearts and he acts accordingly?

We pass by Rahabs every day, discounting their worth or condemning them in our minds.

God sees past outward appearances and gazes on the heart. He looks beyond what we’ve done and sees what we can do. He focuses on the willingness of our hearts and the potential of our lives.

God Uses Faithful People
God uses the alcoholic and the CEO in similar ways, if their trust is in God’s mercy. It’s the level of our faith that matters, not our shady past or former success. God can use our surrender and our brokenness. God can use the Rahab in us!

Steve Reeves is lead minister at Connection Pointe Christian Church in Brownsburg, Indiana. He and his wife Kristen have three grown children.