Wednesday, June 03, 2020

God places His agents everywhere

Joshua sent two spies to look over Jericho's strengths and weaknesses. It is good to do research in an area into which God is calling you. Lots of info can be found online but the real stories come from the people living in the neighborhood. Joshua, himself had been one of the 12 spies sent by Moses and knew the importance of gathering good, up to date information.

In Luke 10, Jesus sends out 72 of his followers in pairs to every town and place he would be visiting. They were to look for the person of peace; someone who was ready to receive the gospel. Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Luke 10:2)

In each town they would find a person of peace who would become a worker in the harvest field. Paul discovered such a person when he arrived in Philippi to preach the gospel. He did not have any local contacts, not even a synagogue. He went to the river, where a group of women gathered for prayer. It would not have been his first choice but here he met Lydia. She became a follower of Jesus and led her household to Christ, starting a church in her house. The Holy Spirit goes before us preparing people's hearts.

Joshua's spies went to Rahab's place where they could keep a low-profile and pick up some news. The King of Jericho found out and sent some guards to apprehend them but Rahab (who had hidden the spies) tells them they’d already left.

The spies were hoping to find an informant but they found an ally; a person of peace who provided provided protection, hospitality, and guidance. She told them of the fear that gripped the city when they learned of God's power. She confessed her faith and asked that she and her household be spared.

As a pagan and owner of shady business, Rahab was an unlikely ally but hidden behind the imposing walls of Jericho was a woman who carried the Divine Seed. Rahab was rescued and would become the mother of Boaz, who married Ruth, a Moabite widow, ancestress of David and Jesus Christ.

God uses unlikely people like Moses a murderer (morally unqualified) who did not speak well (physically unqualified) and David did not look like a king (boyish) nor act as a king (mishandled family matters.) In fact, Jesus was a friend of sinners! God uses the foolish to confound the wise.

At the same time, God has His people everywhere. Remember the men who had a donkey that Jesus was to ride into Jerusalem? The disciples didn't know them but they were ready and knew what to do. How about the man carrying water who knew the secret location to the upper room where Jesus would spend his last hours of freedom?

Knowing that God has people everywhere and that we might not recognize them, we must be ready for divine appointments.

Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers,
for by so doing some people have shown
hospitality to angels without knowing it.
Hebrews 13:2