Dear Father,

I pondered the circumstances surrounding the victory behind the destruction of the land of Jericho by the Children of Israel. It says, "Joshua sent out two men secretly to spy the land of Jericho. And they went, and came into a harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there." It was your plan that they lodge in the house of a harlot?!

This is usually the attitude of believers toward their perception of uncleanliness: "You couldn't have been led by God there. Now get up, wash, and purify yourselves from that filth." Yet, when we see sin and pronounce condemnation, You see a child who has not gone too far to return home.

I've heard a few stories that inspired harlotry, and scarcely are there any that sprang from a die-hard desire to become a harlot. So we come into an encounter with the most influential harlot in a city--a woman who put her life on the line to save Your people. Talk about lifestyle? Yet I see a heart of gold in a woman condemned by society.

While we do not see the full picture, You orchestrate plans from the perspective of the whole view. Yet there is a limitation to the effect the voice of society can have on a person whose lifestyle speaks a different language from their heart. Why turn over a new leaf while surrounded by condemnation? Yet the miracle was not merely that Jericho fell, but that amidst a city marked for destruction, You found a woman whose heart was ready to respond.

Translations:
Slide 1: English
Slide 2: French
Slide 3: Bengali
Slide 4: Hindu
Slide 5: Urdu

#LettertoGod
#condemnation
#lifestyle
#newleaf
#repentance