Corona Devo 1986

Did we know that Rahab was a bold and courageous woman in the Bible who hid (and thus saved) some men of God, and then showed them a back-exit way to escape the city of Jericho when they were being pursued by bad guys?  Way to get-to-work for God, Rahab!

Did we also know that Rahab was a prostitute?  

Are we surprised that God used Rahab to do His will and to help others seeking to do His will?

Don't be. God has always used imperfect and unqualified people to do His will, and God will also use us if we allow Him to today.

Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies... “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there. 

(2) The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” (3) So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.”  

(4) But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from...

(6) (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.)...

(8) Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof ...  

(15) So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. (16) 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 2:1-4, 6, 8, 15-16

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Did we know that God told Abraham that he would be the "father of many nations" (Genesis 17:5)?  And under Abraham's leadership and faithful obedience to God, he united and led the Israelites in their endeavors and in their faith in God.  Thank you for your example of faith, Abraham!

Did we also know that Abraham got tired of waiting on God for his "family tree" to begin, and so Abraham had sexual relations with one of his servants (Hagar) in order to move things along?

Are we surprised that God (still) used Abraham to do His will and lead others in His holy Name?  

Don't be.  God has always used imperfect and unqualified people to do His will, and God will also use us if we allow Him to today. 

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; (2) so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.”  

Abram agreed to what Sarai said. (3) So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. (4) He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.  ~Genesis 16:1-4

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Did we know that the apostle Paul is credited with writing thirteen books in the New Testament of the Bible?  Many theologians say that there was no single person (besides Jesus, of course!) that had a more profound impact on teaching and sharing the Word of God with others...than Paul.  Thank you for teaching us how to spread the Gospel, Paul!

Did we also know that Paul's original name was Saul, and before Paul served God, he violently persecuted those who served God?  

Are we surprised that God (still) used Saul to do His will and lead others in His holy Name?  

Don't be.  God has always used imperfect and unqualified people to do His will, and God will also use us if we allow Him to today.   

At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, (58) dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.    

(59) While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”... 

(1)And Saul approved of their killing him.  

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. (2) Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. (3) But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.  ~Acts 7:57-59, 8:1-3

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Aren't these Biblical accounts wild...about unlikely (and unmerited) people that our God used and worked through to reach others?  

Don't be surprised at who God has used, and please let's not be reluctant or ashamed to-be-used by our Lord today: it's not about us--it's all about Him!

We have (most) certainly disqualified ourselves from being worthy of God, but (good news!) God uses sinful, imperfect, broken, unqualified people to do His will and spread His Good News.  He always has.  

This is the miracle of the God we serve...it's not about us or our (spiritual/holy/righteous) qualifications...it's all about Him. 

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.  (14) Do everything without complaining and arguing, (15) so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.  ~Philippians 2:13-15  

Don't be surprised that God wants to use us today--He does.  It's God's holiness and His revolutionary plan to use imperfect people to do His perfect will. 

God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you. (26) This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. (27) For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.  (28) So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. (29) That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.  ~Colossians 1:25-29  

Blessings, 

Sarah 

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com