Risking Everything

Risking Everything

Rahab

Read: Joshua 2:11-16

In January 1956, five American missionaries made contact with a previously unreached tribe of Auca Indians in Ecuador. After an initial friendly encounter, five violent Waorani men returned to spear the missionaries to death. Some time later, a representative from the tribe invited Rachel Saint and Elisabeth Elliot to live with them. Because these women risked their lives by staying with the killers of their brother and husband, the Waorani opened their hearts to God’s forgiveness and broke free from their lifestyle of fear and revenge killings.

Rahab also took a risk for God. She believed that Yahweh was the one true God, and she wanted to be on the winning side in the coming battle. Her faith emboldened her to risk her life to protect the Israelite spies, hiding them on her roof and sending the king’s soldiers on a wild goose chase. The next day, Rahab helped the spies escape down a scarlet rope through the window of her house. Rahab knew that if the soldiers figured out that she had deceived them, she would be executed for helping enemy spies. She must have suffered some anxious moments, but her belief in God’s power overcame her fear of what might happen to her.

Living for God can be risky business. He asks us to turn over complete control of every aspect of our lives to him. Sometimes he even expects us to do things that appear dangerous or life threatening. Whatever dangers we face, we can trust him to control every circumstance. We can also rest secure in knowing that even after death, we will remain safe in his hands. When we understand God’s goodness and power, we understand that following him is never really a risk—it’s the only sure thing.

I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.

2 Timothy 1:12