Remembered for Faith

By Priya Ramsaran

“By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.”—Hebrews 11:31 (NIV)

Have you ever looked at your life and thought it would never change, or that you would be stuck doing the same wrong thing? As a woman, sometimes I feel like the things that trip me up will always be my issue. Let me give you an example: I yelled at my kids again; therefore, I’m a terrible mom . . . or maybe I'm going to mess them up. 

Does the anxiety of a situation keep you from feeling free? If someone knew what happened in your life, do you assume they’d reject you? Have you ever found yourself gripped by shadows of defeat and discouragement?

Satan has a way of highlighting our brokenness. He makes us feel the weight of what we should have done, so we will begin to write a faithless narrative for our lives.

I love reading the whole story of Rahab in Joshua chapter 2. She was known as the “town’s prostitute.” Who knows how long she was in the business, but it's safe to say that was her label. At this point in her story, she had heard about the God of Israel and all the heroic things He had done for His people. It was time for Rahab to take a step of faith. She expressed her fears, but didn't let them cripple her. She asked the Israelite spies to remember her and her family, and she made a promise to do what was right by the God of Israel.

Think about the enormous pressure she must have been under as she dared to step out of her comfort zone. The faith it took for her was huge, and it required a courageous step in a completely different direction. She wasn't required to come up with an entire plan for her life. She was only responsible to take that first step of faith. 

How many times have we looked at things that separate us from God and see them as scary giants? Here's the truth: We don't have to have all the details figured out—for all of us planners, we aren't responsible for an elaborate plan. 

The beauty of what God is asking us to do is to simply give Him our broken pieces in faith. When we release the things that once scared or defined us, we allow God to do what He does best—to create His masterpiece. Just look at Rahab. She isn’t remembered in history because of her mistakes or for being a prostitute. She’s remembered as a hero of faith and as a member of the family line of David and Jesus. What a beautiful picture of faith! 

Are we willing to let God redefine us? Our acts of faith can become a cord that ties generations of people into a legacy of faith. Let's choose to step out in faith and do it together.

Pause: What are some labels you’ve been defined by? What power do they still hold over you? 

Practice: What things do you need to release to God? Dig below the surface. Maybe ask someone that knows you well enough to help you see the areas in your life that need some attention.

Pray: Dear Lord, help me to release my negative thoughts and the things in my life that separate me from You. I ask in faith that You would do something new. Would You take what has been broken and reshape them into something beautiful? Amen.