Don't Let Go

Have you ever thought, “I am hanging on by a thread?” I know I have. One day I was praying and the weight of all the “things” was heavy on me. I said, “Lord, I feel like I am hanging on by a thread.” I remembered the saying, if you feel like you are hanging on by a thread, let it be the hem of His garment. This is referencing the miracle of the woman with the issue of blood. This saying has never meshed with my over analyzing mind. In the retelling of this miracle she didn’t hold on to the hem she barely touched it. Holding on to His hem would have kept Him from moving to the next miracle. While I love the imagery of the saying, it doesn't work for me. I felt God remind me of Rahab’s thread.

18 Behold, [when] we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee. ... 21 And she said, According unto your words, so [be] it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window. [Jos 2:18, 21 KJV]

All she had was a thread.

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As a Sunday School student, I always imagined that the camp of Israel must have been close by. The people of Jericho were terrified. I always assumed that they had seen them, but they had not. All they had were the testimonies of what God had done for Israel. The children of Israel were still several days away. As a child I thought the spies climbed down, went straight to Joshua and the marching started. That wasn’t the case though. I tried to count up how many days it took from Rahab’s promise to her deliverance. The Bible didn’t give exact time frames, but from what I can calculate it was at minimum close to a month.

All she had was a thread.

Scripture says that after she let them down, she bound the cord in the window. If that cord wasn’t in the window when they came back, they didn’t have to fulfill their promise to her. If she told anyone about their plans, they didn’t have to fulfill their promise. How many times a day did she pass by that cord? How many times did visitors to her home ask why she had a cord in her window? How many times did she go test the knot to make sure it was secure? How many times did she look out that window, hoping to see the signs of Israel approaching?

All she had was a thread.

Jericho was terrified of what was to come. They had heard about Egypt. They had heard about all the victories that God had given the children of Israel. They knew Israel was coming, but they didn’t know when or what would happen. Rahab told the spies what it was like in the city before they left.

And as soon as we had heard [these things], our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he [is] God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. [Jos 2:11 KJV]

Every day she lived in that atmosphere.  Imagine how oppressive it must have felt. A whole city filled with fear and hopelessness. The Bible says that when Joshua came upon the city, it was shut up. They had locked themselves in. They had no hope or courage to even fight.

But she had a thread.

When everyone else around her was hopeless, Rahab had a thread of hope. She didn’t know how it was going to happen, but she knew she had a promise. She wasn’t going to let go. 

She had a thread.

The city was waiting in dread. Can you imagine the confusion when the children of Israel made it to Jericho? Day 1 they silently walk around the city one time. Day 2 they silently walk around the city one time. Day 3 they silently walk around the city again one time. What an eerie sight that must have been. The whole camp of Israel silently walked out of their camp, around the city and back to their camp. All the while, Rahab checks that her thread is secure.

She had a thread.

By the seventh day the dread of the unknown must have been stifling. “They are doing it again. What does it mean? Wait, they are taking another lap?” I can just imagine as word spread that they hadn’t stopped at the one lap around. How many curious onlookers apprehensively peered out windows at what they were doing?  I am sure tensions rose as lap after lap silently went by. I am sure by the seventh lap most of the city had to be watching this silent demonstration. I am sure every available window on the wall was crowded. Only one window had a thread of hope.

Rahab had a thread.

When their seventh lap was complete, the silence broke. A shout rose from Israel and the trumpets blew. The walls shook. I can picture Rahab standing by her window holding on to her thread. All the walls around her are crumbling but her wall is standing. Those that had come to her house to watch didn’t know what was going on, but because she had a thread of hope they were saved.

22 But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her. 23 And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel. ... 25 And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel [even] unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. [Jos 6:22-23, 25 KJV]

When I am holding on by a thread, I want it to be Rahab’s thread. She held on to her promise though it was only a thread. That thread was her only hope of changing her life. She was a known harlot. It was no coincidence that the spies chose her house. Two unknown visitors wouldn’t have caused a stir. It was common. So common that when the king heard that there were spies, he said check Rahab’s house. That thread was the promise of a new life. 

Rahab had a thread.

It was a hope of salvation from the destruction that was coming to her city. Before the walls crumbled, the people of Jericho were crumbling. Terror oppressed the city. That thread was her promise that she didn’t have to live in fear and chaos. 

Rahab had a thread.

It may have been secured in her window, but it was also secured in a promise. She couldn’t visibly see the salvation on the other end of that scarlet thread, but she didn’t let go of it. Her faith not only saved her but all those that came into her house. Not only did she receive salvation but also a new future. 

5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; [Mat 1:5 KJV]

Rahab’s thread led to a lineage. It led to a heritage. She was no longer a harlot; she became the great great grandmother of King David. She was remembered for her faith and not for her sin.

22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of [our] faith without wavering; (for he [is] faithful that promised;) [Heb 10:22-23 KJV]

You may feel like you’re holding on by a thread, but don’t let go. Make sure that thread is secure in the window of your heart. Hold fast to that thread, because God is faithful. That thread can rewrite your story and the stories of those around you. Don’t let go.

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