“. . . And they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab and lay there . . . And the woman took the two men and hid them . . . And, she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.” Joshua 2: 1, 4, 21 (ASV)

For those who don’t know the story of Rahab, she was a prostitute who lived in a wall in the city of Jericho. She hid the spies Joshua had sent into the city to view the land in which the children of Israel would eventually overtake. They went into her home to appear as commoners and get the scoop on the city.

Rahab immediately knew who the men were and used that knowledge to protect them and hide them from the King’s guards who wanted to kill them. She had faith that the God who delivered them could also deliver her. In return for her kindness and help, she asked that when the spies returned with their army, they would spare the lives of her and her family members. The men swore to protect her and had her tie a scarlet cord in her window as a symbol that whomever was in that home was to be protected during the fight.

After the spies left, all Rahab had to do was wait.

Can you imagine it? You know that an army is coming to your city to plunder and kill everything in it but you have bargained the life of your family to be saved from the destruction. You don’t know the date, time or situation in which they will return. You just have to wait.

If I was Rahab, my mind would have been moving at a thousand miles an hour and thought of every scenario possible. Are they coming in the middle of the night? If so, should I sleep in my running clothes? Should I keep my family here just so we’re ready at a moment’s notice? Will they risk sneaking me and my family out first then come back to take over the city? Would the other soldiers recognize the scarlet cord in the window or come in with swords swinging any way?

I love that the Bible doesn’t discuss what Rahab did while she waited or how long the timeframe was in which she had to wait. We know that the spies had to stay in the hills three days then travel back to camp. The entire army had to cross the Jordan, get circumcised and heal from the procedure then march around the city for seven days. We just don’t know how long this all took in total. All we know is that she had to wait.

Rahab was not your average woman. She had seen a lot and probably heard even more and was used to using what she had to get what she needed. She was also a woman of action and quick wit, so I imagine that this wait time was no walk in the park for her. The faith she had used to hide the men and ask for their protection was now the same faith she would have to draw upon while she awaited their return.

Everyone is waiting for something. Be it a dream job, having a child, buying a house, meeting a significant other, college acceptance letter – the waits seem endless. Ultimately, it’s how you wait that can make all the difference. These next few steps will help you wait purposefully:

Get prepared. Rahab may not have known the date or the time of when the spies would return but she had to prepare her family and her own personal home. Whether this was removing her home of the idols she formerly worshipped, informing her family about the amazing God of Israel or packing up her essentials, she had to operate with expectation of their return. She also had to be prepared for a new way of life. She was going to have a brand new start in a new land with God’s people. I believe that this preparation also gave her hope.

Are you getting prepared? You may have recently encountered someone who will be used by God to help you get to the next step in His plan for you. However, He can’t take you to the next level if you aren’t willing to do the work at the level you’re at right now. If you don’t discipline yourself with the struggles you currently face, how will you handle the new struggles that come with the next level? Preparation looks different for everyone but pray and ask God to show you what you need to do to get ready.

Resist past temptations. Without knowing the time or circumstance in which Jericho would be overtaken, I wonder if Rahab was ever tempted to go back to what she knew because the wait time was longer than expected. She may have had suitors knocking at her door or still pursuing her services every day. It would have been easy to occupy her time with the things of old when she had not seen the manifestation of the promise take place. Instead of falling back into old habits, she had to pursue things that would serve her in her upcoming journey.

Are you resisting past temptations? You can’t move forward if you’re holding on to the past. The past was meant to teach you a lesson that can be used in the new places God wants you to operate in. Memories are reminders of where you’ve been and they are given to us so we don’t have to return to the place we made them just to relive the moment. You can’t relive the past so put your effort into the future. Leave it behind you then use it to propel you forward.

Believe in God’s promise. Waiting can cause doubt which then causes fear and disbelief. The scarlet cord in Rahab’s window was a visual reminder of God’s promise to save her and her family. Who knows if she had prayed for a way out before hand and God sent the spies as an unlikely answer to her prayer. Regardless, when her faith waned and she doubted if they were still returning, she had a visual reminder that she would be saved. I do believe that that scarlet cord was also a foreshadow of the blood that would save all of our lives one day through Jesus Christ since Rahab was in the lineage of Christ. Just as it had previously protected the homes of the children of Israel when they were slaves in Egypt and the angel of death passed over the land, it now protected Rahab’s home from the death that would ensue in Jericho. That symbol was a promise that she could rely on during the wait time.

Are you believing in God’s promises? Perhaps He spoke to you or gave you a vision in a dream. When you are discouraged and doubt starts to creep in, hold on to the words spoken to you or the vision you’ve seen. Write it down or choose something to symbolize the promise. Reference these items whenever you need a reminder because the wait feels as if it has run on too long. He who promised is faithful!

Joshua tells us that in the end, Rahab and her family were saved. She then went on to marry, have a family in which eventually came the Savior, Jesus Christ.

You may not know the ending to your story but you can know the One who does. No wait is ever too great for Him. Be encouraged and realize that He has orchestrated an amazing plan for your life. He knows what you need and has your best interest at heart. Continue forward in faith and peace knowing that the ultimate Writer is crafting your story. Wait on him and be of good courage.