Christian Living 7 | Be Stirred, Not Shaken

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen…By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace” (Heb. 11:1, 30, 31)

“By faith, Rahab the harlot did not perish…”

Rahab the harlot is one of the unlikeliest heroines in the bible—a pagan prostitute in the city of Jericho, which was a place as corrupt and depraved as it got. Yet, because of her faith and actions, she is one of only two women named in Hebrews 11 (known as the “faith chapter”), and one of only two women named in the genealogy of Jesus Christ (Matt. 1:5). There are many parallels between Rahab and the church, and a number of lessons we can draw from her life and character.

The word meditation may conjure up all kinds of “woo woo” mental images, of soft sitar music and murmured chants and being told to “use your inner eye to look inside yourself” while candles and incense burn. In other words, something we as Christians want nothing to do with. This kind of New Age meditation has nothing to do with the bible, but the bible has much to say about meditation and its critical role in Christ’s disciples’ lives.

Of the four main spiritual “tools” we have for growing closer to God and becoming more like Him—prayer, bible study, fasting, and meditation—biblical meditation may be the least understood. However, it’s the element that ties the other three together and makes them truly productive, so it’s paramount that we gain a better understanding of how we should be using it in our daily lives.

"We ask you not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled..." ~ II Thes. 2:2 *** "But stir up the gift of God that is within you by the laying on of hands..." ~ II Tim. 1:6

Category: Christian Living

Lessons From Rahab’s Faith – “Come Out of Her, My People” (Musings on Faith)

“By faith, Rahab the harlot did not perish…”

Biblical Meditation: What Does It Really Mean To Us?