FAITH CAPSULE: Action rooted in faith is not ignored by God but is see-able as faith.

Joshua 2, Jeremiah 39:11-18

Giving self to God’s agenda with fear of God and trusting God will provoke God’s blessing. When Joshua sent spies to scout out the city of Jericho, it was Rahab a citizen of Jericho that saved the Israelites spies from the hand of King of Jericho. Rahab, having delivered the Israelites spies state, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you.” (Joshua 2:9) Rahab’s testimony of her fear of God prompted her action for deliverance’s agenda for the Israelites. Joshua praised Rahab for her action; Old and New Testaments honored Rahab’s action; Rahab became part of God’s people and became the line of ancestry to Jesus. Evidently, Rahab’s action gained attention of God for her blessing. Bible testified that God is God of knowledge by Him actions are weighed. (1 Samuel 2:3)
Action of Rahab was a demonstration of faith. Jesus identified action as faith which healed a paralytic. Matthew 9:1-2 recorded paralytic action, “So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” Action rooted in faith is not ignored by God but is see-able as faith.
Rahab had the fear for God and could not be silent by her action. Rahab’s action was a noisy-silent action which provoked God’s blessing for Rahab. Among believers today, there is more noise about trusting God but no action to back up noise makings before God. Truly, it is action with faith that speaks loudly to gain God’s response. Are you a noisy believer with action that does not carry weight before God? Does your noise count before God? Believers with noise are pleasing self but not making Rahab-noise to please God. One pleasing self by not pleasing God is too quiet to be victorious.
With fear of God trust in God must have place in one’s heart. Ebed-Melech the Ethopian, one of the eunuchs trusted God to deliver Jeremiah the prophet of God from dungeon of death. He demonstrated his trust in God to act before God. Just as God does not overlook sin, so He always respond to good acts of man. Ebed-Melech was greatly rewarded when God sent Jeremiah to Ebed-Melech as stated, “‘But I will deliver you in the day’, says the LORD, ‘And you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me,’ says the LORD.” (Jeremiah 39:17-18) To fear God is to trust God and not to become silent doing for God.

Prayer for today: Ask God to endue you with fear and trust to live life for God’s Glory.