Ruined Lives Restored

Joshua 6:22–25

Joshua said to the two men who had scouted the land, "Go to the prostitute’s house and bring the woman out of there, and all who are with her, just as you promised her."

So the young men who had scouted went in and brought out Rahab and her father, mother, brothers, and all who belonged to her. They brought out her whole family and settled them outside the camp of Israel.

They burned up the city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the LORD’s house.

But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, her father’s household, and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent to spy on Jericho, and she lives in Israel to this day.

Matthew 1:5–6

Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab, Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth, Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered King David.

Look at that! A prostitute became the great, great grandmother of Israel’s greatest king—and she was in the linage of the Messiah!

We should never doubt that God can reclaim any life, and that any life reclaimed by God can have a highly significant place in God’s plan.

I don’t doubt it. I long for these. I long to see more of these damaged lives being redeemed, restored, and used to advance the Lord’s reputation.