“…as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, He is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a sure sign that you will save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.” – Joshua 2:11-13

Scripture reading: Joshua 2:8-21

The whole story of Rahab glows with one theme: salvation is from the LORD. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Martin Luther’s eyes were opened when he recognized that, in the words of Galatians 3:11: The righteous shall live by faith. That’s the message that shines from the story of Rahab. She was as lost as a person can be. Most of us would never have spoken a word to her, never had a thought or a care about her. But God knew her. And she belonged to Him. At a certain moment, there in the city of Jericho in the land of Canaan, He called her. She heard the gospel of Yahweh in those reports about what He did at the Red Sea, and what He did to Sihon and Og. She repented and believed. Christ gathered her with His people; Matthew tells us that she became one of His mothers.

And she serves, for Israel then and still for us today, as a testimony to the sovereign grace and saving power of God. If she can be saved, anyone can be saved. Even you; even me. There is no one whose sin is too great to be forgiven, whose sin is too great to be forgiven by grace, through faith, in Christ. That’s the gospel to us, in our sin. That’s the gospel that we can proclaim to our children, and to our neighbors.

Suggestions for prayer

Pray that God would open the hearts of your co-workers, neighbors and unbelieving family members, so that they would be ready to hear and believe the gospel when you speak with them about life in Jesus Christ.

This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Dick Wynia is the pastor of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, Ontario.