A Scarlet Thread Runs Through It

Looking down the long road of my past, I often wonder if my memory of events is accurate. Do memories come from a photograph I've looked at a million times? Do I only remember what is in the frame? Can I see past the snapshot to the reality of the day? Will our lives be reduced to our social media posts? All the good. None of the worst of us.

In preparing to celebrate my father-in-law's life, I tried to sort through all the memories I stored in the fabric of my mind. Like an old quilt, some were sharp and clear. Others faded and dull. Each one of us holds a different piece. When pieced together, each forms a complete picture. What we each remember is perceived through the lens of our reality.

We often discard a piece because the pain of remembering is too hard. The shame of my past often tries to rip the memory out of the story. All those pieces, woven together with an invisible thread, give a complete picture of my redemption. Unlike me, God doesn’t cut out any part of the story. He doesn’t reframe the view to make it pretty. 

Like Rahab, I looked for love in all the wrong places. The weight of my shame held me captive for many years until I met people like me in the story of God’s people. Does your story have pieces you have tried to cut out or run from? God has already gone before you to restore your life. 

As the Israelites prepare to enter the land God has promised them, Joshua sends two spies to check out the land on the other side of the Jordan. This is when we meet Rahab, the prostitute. She is the one who saves the spies from certain death by hiding them. In return, she asks them to save her and her family. She says, “For we have heard how the Lord made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt" (Jos. 2:10). She knew who they were; she knew their God was powerful. Crossing the Red Sea wasn't last week's news. It has now been 40 years, yet they still remember. They had heard the stories. God always goes before us.

The spies gave her a scarlet cord to hang from her window. A red rope would signify to the invading army to save her family. Just as the blood of a lamb painted on the Israelites’ doorposts in Egypt was a sign for the Angel of Death to pass over their homes. The scarlet thread, the lamb's blood, runs throughout God's story, foreshadowing the lamb that would be our salvation. As promised, the two spies save Rahab and her family before Jericho is destroyed.

This woman who was looked down upon saved the spies who, in return, saved her. Despite her circumstances, she held tight to the scarlet cord and became part of God's history. Along with Sarah, she made the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews, and she was one of five women listed in the genealogy of Jesus.

Sitting around a table of perfect women at Bible study wasn’t where I wanted to share my story of shame until I met Rahab. Those pieces of my life shine the light of God’s love, His mercy, His redemption.

Recognizing the past allows us to see God's scarlet cord of redemption throughout our life. Does your story have pieces you have tried to cut out or run from? Cry out to Him and hold onto that scarlet cord that leads to redemption and allow God to weave the broken pieces together. ​

“The Lord your God himself will cross over ahead of you.” Deuteronomy 31:3 (NIV)

About the Author

Hi, I'm Nancy Ehlinger. I live with my husband, Roderick, in North Florida close to a beautiful beach which is my happy place. We have five children, eight grandchildren, a dog, a bird, and a bearded dragon. I am passionate about equipping women to live life on mission. Connect with me at nancyehlinger.wordpress.com.