Morning & Evening Daily Devotional Reading– April 18

by Charles H. Spurgeon, Revised and Edited by William C. Neff

“[Rahab] tied the scarlet rope in the window (as the spies had told her to do in order to escape the coming judgment).”

—Joshua 2:21

Rahab depended for her preservation upon the promise of the spies whom she looked upon as the representatives of the God of Israel. Her faith was simple and firm, but it was obedient. To tie the scarlet rope in the window was a very trivial act in itself, but she did not dare run the risk of omitting it.

Isn’t there a lesson here for you today? Have you been attending to all that God desires for your life? Even though some of His commands may seem non-essential, have you at least been baptized, and are you in the practice of observing the Lord’s Supper? If you are neglecting these things, then there may be disobedience in your heart and lack of faith in God’s promise.

This act of Rahab should cause us to ask, “Have I implicitly trusted in the precious blood of Jesus? Have I tied the scarlet cord in the window of my life, or can I look out towards the Dead Sea of my sins or the Jerusalem of my hopes without seeing the blood of Christ and all things in connection with it? Is my scarlet chord easily seen by those who pass by so that others openly know of my trust in Christ’s atonement?

Lastly, notice that Rahab’s house was on Jericho’s wall, but, when the wall fell flat, Rahab’s house stood unmoved. In the same way my nature is built into the wall of humanity, but when destruction comes upon this race of men I will be secure.

Today I will tie the scarlet thread in the window afresh, and rest in the peace of God. [M&E]