Quiet Time Coaching Episode 468 | New Thing Series — Part 23 | “Rahab’s Request” | Malcolm Cox

Introduction
A new thing! I’m Malcolm Cox. Welcome to your daily devotional podcast anchored in Isaiah 43:19: ‘See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.’

We are currently looking at God doing a new thing in the life of Rahab. Today we explore Rahab’s request.

““Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them—and that you will save us from death.”
“Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the LORD gives us the land.”
So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. She said to them, “Go to the hills so the pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days until they return, and then go on your way.”” (Joshua 2:12-16 NIV11)

Rahab requests a new thing

  • No Gentiles have been ‘saved’ so far
  • She has no precedent for her request
  • She has no guarantee her request will be accepted or honoured
  • Her request is based on a ‘new’ God she has heard about but does not yet know

For Reflection
Rahab is bold in her request. She is shooting for the moon. The request is not only for her. It is for “my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them”. There is something inspiring about her faith. It is limited — shaky even — but bold. She cannot see the whole picture, and she has limited evidence that the outcome will be as she desires. Yet that does not stop her asking. We do not need full faith the make requests in prayer that God will hear, honour and answer. We need to ask with the faith we have.

Conclusion
I hope you find your heart, your life, your congregation and your world inspired by God doing a new thing. Until tomorrow, take care, and God bless.

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“Carpe Diem” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
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