I was reading through the lineage of Jesus in Matthew, chapter 1 the other day, and something just leapt off the page at me. I saw two names that stopped me cold. Bathsheba and Rahab. Bathsheba was the married woman David had an affair with; and after she became pregnant, he killed her husband. And Rahab was a prostitute who lived in Jericho. Now, why would God choose these rather shady people to be the ancestors of Jesus? If I were God, I would have chosen really holy people who had spent their lives serving God and doing only good.
I just love the way God’s mind works. I believe He’s sending us a message through this lineage. I believe He’s saying, “I don’t care what you did in your past. I don’t care what kind of person you were. I don’t even care if you were a pirate who pillaged and plundered! If you turn back to me with all your heart, I will erase all your past mistakes, make you into a new person and use you to make a difference.”
God is a God of restoration, of redemption and of second chances. Both David and Rahab repented of their sins and devoted their lives to God. If they had stayed in their wickedness, God would have passed them by and used someone else. Yet how many of us either refuse to let go of some sinful behavior, or if we do, we still don’t think God can ever use someone like us?
I have a pretty sordid past, and I still suffer from many of the consequences from that past. Many times I wonder why God would even bother with someone like me. Why would He answer my prayers? Why would He bless my kids, my job, my marriage, my health, my finances? Surely there are more worthy believers out there than me.
Maybe you feel the same way?
I’ve come to understand that God isn’t interested in people with a flawless past. He’s interested in people with a devoted heart.
Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18 NASB).
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV).
I don’t care if you’ve murdered, raped, stolen, committed adultery, gossiped, lied or been a pirate. If you’ve truly repented and turned your life over to God, then He doesn’t even remember those things. All He sees when He looks at you is His Son and you standing there white as snow. So, the next time the enemy tries to tell you that you’re scum and God could never use someone like you, or that God will never answer your prayers, remind him of David and Rahab and so many other wretched sinners in the Bible whom God used for great and mighty things. Just believe.
MaryLu Tyndall