Rahab didn’t have much to live for until she welcomed two strangers into her home. She lived in a pagan land under barren circumstances. To survive, she allowed others to defile her.
As a woman in that situation she had probably given up hope that life would ever really be good. Reputation wasn’t a consideration; but while she might’ve shrugged at the names assigned to her, she couldn’t escape the hollowness of her life.
Somewhere in the ruins of her world, hope flickered. Rahab heard of a God who did amazing wonders, and she dared to believe-to welcome His messengers (the strangers), to receive His people and embrace their faith, and to ask for His pardon. As a result of God’s generosity, she lived among the people of this great God, became the mother of Boaz, and is named in the genealogy of Jesus Christ.
Rahab experienced the sacred scandal.
As we all do-those of us who name Christ as our Lord. Like Rahab, our lives are littered with regrets. Our paths are lined with failure. Sin has scarred our lives, leaving us with our own moments of hopelessness. But we also know the wonder of His welcome, the incredulity of His forgiveness, the security of His love. We, too, experience the sacred scandal.
Author Paula Rinehart says, “…we meet to celebrate the scandal of God’s grace…” (Better Than My Dreams). Every time we approach our God in worship, every time we join others in prayer, every time we whisper His name in desperation we are celebrating His gift of undeserved mercy.
We celebrate that the Most Holy redeems us, considers us righteous, and continues to love us when we are unfaithful.
A scandal.
A scandal that He wants to spend time with us, delights in us, calls us precious, honors us, and chooses to use us for His glory… that He stamps us with His approval, even when we haven’t completed our journey with Him, and He’s fully aware that we’ll fail Him again and again.
Redemption grants us the invitation to freely come before Him and enjoy the privilege of His presence, as the old English hymn says, “for God the just is satisfied to look on Him and pardon me.” Like Rahab, we experience His welcome. We celebrate the scandal of His grace.
Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea
A great high Priest whose name is love
Who ever lives and pleads for me
My name is graven on His hands
My name is written on His heart
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
No tongue can bid me thence depart
When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end to all my sin
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me
Behold Him there the risen Lamb
My perfect spotless righteousness
The great unchangeable I AM
The King of glory and of grace
One with Himself I cannot die
My soul is purchased by His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high
With Christ my Savior and my God!
With Christ my Savior and my God!
(an old English hymn)
