Saturday, April 6, 2013

Hues of Scarlet, Obedience, and Deliverance--Day 96 Through the Bible



                                     Bloodroot is one of the first wildflowers in the Western NC woodlands
                                                  to break through the carpet of dead leaves and burst into full bloom.

We find two examples in today’s Scriptures of people being instructed to step out in faith and obey God in order to receive what He was giving them.  First, God told the Israelites they had to go in and possess the land (even though God said He had given it to them).  Secondly, Rahab’s family were told to remain in her house during the battle in order for their lives to be spared.  In both instances, obedience to God would determine the outcome. 

“For by grace are we saved through faith; and that not of ourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).  We, too, have a choice to make just as they did.  We can believe on Jesus and be saved, or we can refuse to believe and die in our sins.  Just as Rahab’s family chose to believe God and remain in her house, even so, if we are to have eternal life, we must choose the safety of salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Otherwise, we will perish as surely as they would have perished had they not believed God and obeyed what He told them. 

Rahab did not hesitate to place the scarlet cord in her window indicating that her house was not to be touched by the soldiers.  She did so immediately.  Rahab did not wait, she did not risk failing to remember to hang the scarlet cord in her window.  Neither should we wait to trust in Christ for our own salvation.  Before leaving Egypt, Israel had smeared the blood of the Passover lamb on their doorposts as a sign for the death angel to pass over that house. 

Today, the blood of Christ is not unlike the Lamb’s blood on the door post or the scarlet cord placed in the window.  We will pay for our own sins unless we put our faith in Him and His blood that was shed for us in order to pay the penalty for our sins (Hebrews 9:22), so that, believing in Him we might receive eternal life (John 3:16).

When we truly encounter Jesus, we will find ourselves sitting at His feet, clothed, and in our right mind spiritually.  What a beautiful account of someone being set free from the chains and bondage of sin.  What a difference Jesus can make in our lives!  Satan was our captor. Through his lies and deceit, he convinced Adam and Eve to believe him rather than God, their Creator.  There is tremendous Good News for us all.  Jesus says we will know the truth and the truth will make us free.  We are no longer in bondage to the captor’s lies and deceit about the subject of sin and about whom we are.  We have been rescued and God has sealed us by His Spirit for eternity.  This is indeed Good News!  This is The Gospel of Christ!  “Be strong and of good courage” as God instructed Joshua.  Step out in faith and believe God!

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