Last week our pastor shared the weaving of scriptures documenting the history of Rahab. Most importantly her placement in Jesus’ family lineage. Most families would choose to present those in their line whose lives bore glistening fruit establishing a legacy of pride and strength in the family while disowning those whose lives reflect shame. Generations of my family of origin have hacksawed enough branches of “less desirables” from our lineage, the collective pile would tower over a mighty oak tree. But God in His great, mysterious, beautiful weaving of His purposes in this lady’s life…..the greater story far surpassing her living out of what she knows…….uses the least likely to accomplish yet another story of His sweeping righteous hand of redemption. The result being How Great Is Our God.

As we approached the communion table we were each given a scarlet thread, representing the scarlet rope Rahab was told to hang down from her window, the saving sign of God’s protection over her life. A thread of scarlet we see woven into the crucifixion of Jesus and the power of His redemption throughout the ages. And the miracle of regeneration and redemption in those who have been saved by grace; chosen, adopted into the family of God; heirs of the kingdom of God; co-heirs with Jesus. What man could possibly write such a script? Much less take the likes of each of us and weave our lives into His story of continued redemption.

Don’t you just love it when what you have just freshly digested then becomes a message of truth to another along the path? Keeping that thread close by, the next day I was meeting with one of the single mothers. As have all of us at one time been, she was transfixed on the rubble of consequences from her choices. Two children, two different fathers, years of substance dependency, broken promises and relationships……….but then came a time when the Lord lifted her head and brought to memory the truth of the gospel she learned as a young child. When these ladies tell their stories I marvel at the apparent weaving of the thread of grace and mercy in their lives. As a very little girl, she would get herself up to catch the church bus. The parable of the sower and the seed, the ground of her heart was loose and fertile and seed took root…………but then the cares of the world and accompanying pain began hardening that precious child’s heart. But when the Lord saw fit, His truth broke through the barrier and she made the commitment to walk in obedience, not turning to the left or to the right but listening only to the voice of the Shepherd over all of the other competing voices. Most of those voices being self talk influenced by the enemy with condemnation.

The other day was one of those days “what kind of future could my children possibly have? Look at what they have been born into. Look at my family line (each of her brothers have ongoing prison beds). Look at all of my mistakes.” Still being fresh on my heart I shared the story of Rahab. The word of God is a powerful lifter of the head. The opposite of shame is grace. “Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.” Isaiah 61:7

Not sure but it seems to me the most vivid colors in God’s weaving of the tapestry of each of our lives are those that reflect the broken places of redemption. He is the amazing Great Recycler of the dark shattered shards of our lives. Romans 8:28 is all encompassing of the good, bad and the ugly. Such a blessing to witness Him restoring the lives of these mothers and children. Thank you for the role you are playing in their journey.