Calling Cards

Before [the Israelite spies] had lain down, Rahab came up to them on the roof. She said to the men, “I know that Yahweh has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. For we have heard how Yahweh dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when you came out of Egypt; and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and to Og, whom you utterly destroyed. As soon as we had heard it, our hearts melted, and there wasn’t any more spirit in any man, because of you: for Yahweh your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath.” (Joshua 2:8-11)

Isn’t it interesting how these calling-cards of the power of Yahweh had made their way to the ears of the people of Jericho, especially since actions like the crossing of the Red Sea were now 40 years in the past? For four decades, these people had trembled at the thought of this moment!

Do you ever stop to think of the way the reputation and renown of Jesus should be going before us as the calling-cards of the Kingdom of Heaven? If we don’t hinder His Way, here is just a taste of what people could perceive of Him, simply by the historical evidence given to us in the four Gospels:

“We know that Jesus has conquered this world, and that the fear of Him has fallen upon Satan, and that all kings will one day bow before Him. For we have heard how Jesus walked across the waters to rescue His friends; what He did to heal the blind, the lame, the deaf, the dead, who were beyond the reach of human help; to sin and hell, whom He utterly destroyed. As soon as we had heard of Him, our hearts melted with hope and dreams of joy, and there wasn’t any more confidence in the flesh, because of Him: for Jesus your King, He is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath.”

Yet, friends, when we don’t ourselves believe in the realities of the statement above, and when we do get in His way, here’s the converse view that the world can form about our Savior:

“We’ve heard that Jesus has given you some sort of salvation, and yet the fears of this life continue to fall on you, just as upon us, and your ‘faith’ most of the time seems to melt away from you. For we have seen how your religion regarding Jesus gives you this dull, dry life; and how you seem to be filled with judgment for nearly everyone around you, which destroys any chance of relationship. As we have watched you, our own hopes melted within us, and there wasn’t any more chance that we’d desire to believe, because of you: for Jesus your God, he is perhaps the God in heaven above, but certainly not of any help upon the earth beneath.”
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What sort of calling-card of His Presence does your presence in any room leave; what are the hearts of men told of Jesus because of your life in Him?