Holding On By A Thread
Written By: Gena Caruthers
March 13, 2022
I have always believed and taught that we can survive almost anything when we know it’s temporary. What situations are you facing today? Are the circumstances temporary? Or do you feel there are no options and the situation is not temporary? While from time to time our situations may seem permanent and have no options; my sweet friend I want this devotion to encourage you today, nothing is permanent… except death and eternal life with Christ.
Close your eyes with me and step into the shoes of one of our sisters in the Bible who may have felt as if her situation was anything but temporary. Yet in the middle of her sinful, dead-end, where do I turn life, she continued to hold on by a thread, and through it all, Jehovah gave her sweet peace which led to being in the lineage of Jesus Christ who gave us all eternal hope and peace.
As we read the account of Rahab’s story in Joshua 2, it seems almost too farfetched for us to comprehend as REAL! (A lot like the story Ashley mentioned last week: Jochebed, placing her baby in a boat on the Nile River, to save him from genocide.) But my sweet friend, Rahab’s story is real! A prostitute, running an inn, and spies from the Israelites (who want to kill her people and destroy her city) show up at her door! Her life, her story paints a picture of anything except peace, but somehow, I see peace in Rahab’s life.
Rahab wasn’t despondent with her permanent situation.
True, she may have only had a thread of hope, but she gathered one thread after another until it turned into a rope, a cord that rescued her to the promise land and ultimately into the lineage of our Savior, Jesus Christ!
Our devotion may seem a little short this week, but I’d like to encourage you to take some time this week and read two chapters; Joshua 2 & 6. In these two chapters, we see how Rahab hid the spies, negotiated her safety along with the safety of her family, received a gift of a scarlet thread (Joshua 2:18), and held to the peace of Jehovah day after day as the children of Israel marched around the city of Jericho until the walls fell to the ground and the entire city was utterly, completely destroyed!
Joshua 2:18 (KVJ)
“Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee.”
It was only a simple scarlet thread, but it was her only thread of hope. I wonder how she felt that day, hearing the footsteps of the children (day after day) of Israel march succinctly outside the city walls? I’m sure, each day Rahab obediently opened her window and dropped her scarlet thread (ribbon or cord) outside her window, and peacefully waited. I can’t imagine her being able to focus on much of anything else. You know what? I truly don’t think Rahab feared. I truly believe Rahab embraced peace beyond measure.
Can I tell you today, no matter your circumstance, honestly… no matter your relationship with the Lord, maybe you feel like you’re holding on by a thread, remember the prostitute Rahab! Remember Rahab’s peace and the deliverance that followed. No doubt Rahab laid her head on the pillow night after night, after giving her body to please yet another stranger, and whispered a prayer for deliverance. Jehovah hears, and while he hears he provides peace along the way.
Weekly Prayer Focus:
During your prayer time this week read Joshua chapters 2 and 6.
Imagine how Rahab must have felt.
Imagine, how did Rahab have peace?
Ask God to give you peace in your current situation or share this with a friend.
And finally, probably most importantly, Hold onto your thread!
