Faith in the Holy Trinity

DAY 1: Conquer the Past, *Joshua 2:1-24
The past can be wonderful—learning from history & reminisc-ing old memories. However, our past can also be crippling chains, holding us captive in fear as we spend the remainder lives running from it. Whether good or bad, our past greatly in-fluences our present and future.
This week, we study Rahab—a Canaanite prostitute who was not defined by her past and served as an instrumental part of God’s plan for Israel to claim the promised land. Throughout Joshua 2, we witness God’s work on Rahab’s heart, drawing her to faith in Him. When she felt the tug of God on her life, Rahab did not resort to using her past as a crutch for saying she “couldn’t do what God wanted.” She didn’t wallow in shame or self-pity. She didn’t doubt that God could redeem her & use her. Rahab came to believe that the God of the Israelites was the true God, and she acted in the faith that He was who He said He was..
Please remember that you are not your past. Faith in Christ brings redemption (see Eph. 1:7). Your identity is in Christ, not in past mistakes. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t know your past. I don’t even know who exactly is reading this, but I do know we serve a God who is above all. God is bigger than your past. He knows everything about you –skeletons and all, still loves you and has a beautiful plan for your life. Don’t let your past keep you in bondage. Give in to Him. Past decisions, no matter how wicked, are not nearly as significant as the decisions you make for the Lord now.
INSPECT: Summarize Joshua 2 in 2-3 sentences.
REFLECT: Put yourself in Rahab’s shoes, would you have acted as she did? What excuse could you have made for rejecting God’s will in her case?
PROJECT: Are you letting shadows of your past loom over you? Don’t try to run away or deal with them alone; seek the Lord’s guidance and know that there is forgiveness & restoration in sub-mission to God.