Read Online Unashamed by Francine Rivers - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Francine Rivers
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me find it where this woman is concerned!”
Caleb let out his breath slowly and rubbed his face. “Joshua has already given the command. You will see to the woman’s safety and that of those who are with her. And if you choose, she will belong to you by right of conquest.”
Salmon’s heart beat strongly. He felt he’d been handed a precious gift, despite the coolness of Caleb’s proclamation.
Caleb lowered his hands and looked at him gravely. “You will leave this woman and her relatives outside the camp. Perhaps she will go her own way and take her family with her.”
“She will want to become one of us.”
“How can you be so certain?”
Salmon hunkered down. “I saw her eyes. I heard her voice.” He wanted Caleb to trust Rahab as he did. “Were we not slaves when God delivered us? I believe God sent Ephraim and me into Jericho to find this woman. It’s the only reason that makes sense to me, considering that God spoke to Joshua before we returned to give our report. The Lord wants this woman delivered from the evil of the Canaanites, just as He delivered us from Egypt.”
“Be careful not to add to what the Lord has said, Salmon. You must align yourself with the will of God—not the desires of your own heart. My generation thought they could have their own way, and they all died in the desert.”
“The will of God is ever in my mind. From the time I was a small boy, you’ve taught me the truth and lived it before my eyes. One thing has always been clear to me. It was not because we had merit or deserved freedom that the Lord delivered us from Egypt. The Lord saved us out of His great mercy.” Salmon held his hands out. “Would the Lord not extend His mercy to anyone who yearns to belong to Him? I saw this yearning in Rahab. I heard it in her voice. She believes the Lord is God, and she declared her allegiance to Him by saving us, His servants.” He paused, weighing his next words carefully. Finally he spoke the question that had been burning on his heart for the past three days. “Could it not be that God has aligned the desire of my heart with His good purpose toward this woman?”
Caleb considered his words. “You’re only guessing about the desires of this woman’s heart, Salmon.”
“It is a sign of wisdom that she is in awe of the Lord. Could Rahab truly declare that the Lord is the only God—the God of the heavens above and the earth below—if God Himself had not written His name upon her heart?”
“If you seek a quick answer from me, my son, I have none. We must both pray and seek God’s will in this matter.”
Salmon struggled against the urgency he felt. “If anyone finds out she’s given aid to Ephraim and me, she may not survive long enough to be rescued. I should go back—”
“Did she ask this of you?”
“No, but—”
Caleb’s eyes blazed. “Then I would ask you this: where is your faith, Salmon? If it is indeed God’s plan to deliver this woman, He will do it. ”
Salmon started to say more but was silenced when he looked into Caleb’s eyes. He had said enough already. The lines in the old man’s face showed wisdom earned by years of suffering. The sins of others, including those of Salmon’s own father and mother, had caused Caleb and Joshua greater heartache than he would ever know. It had been almost forty years since Joshua and Caleb had received the promise that they would be the only ones of their generation to set foot in the Promised Land. Two out of an entire people. All because the others had refused to believe the promise God had given them.
“I believe the Lord will protect her,” Salmon said, lowering his head. “May God forgive my unbelief.”
“I was young and impetuous once,” Caleb said more gently. “You must learn to be patient. God doesn’t need our help.”
Salmon raised his head and smiled. “When you meet Rahab, you’ll understand what I see in her.”
“ If I meet Rahab, I’ll know it is by
Caleb let out his breath slowly and rubbed his face. “Joshua has already given the command. You will see to the woman’s safety and that of those who are with her. And if you choose, she will belong to you by right of conquest.”
Salmon’s heart beat strongly. He felt he’d been handed a precious gift, despite the coolness of Caleb’s proclamation.
Caleb lowered his hands and looked at him gravely. “You will leave this woman and her relatives outside the camp. Perhaps she will go her own way and take her family with her.”
“She will want to become one of us.”
“How can you be so certain?”
Salmon hunkered down. “I saw her eyes. I heard her voice.” He wanted Caleb to trust Rahab as he did. “Were we not slaves when God delivered us? I believe God sent Ephraim and me into Jericho to find this woman. It’s the only reason that makes sense to me, considering that God spoke to Joshua before we returned to give our report. The Lord wants this woman delivered from the evil of the Canaanites, just as He delivered us from Egypt.”
“Be careful not to add to what the Lord has said, Salmon. You must align yourself with the will of God—not the desires of your own heart. My generation thought they could have their own way, and they all died in the desert.”
“The will of God is ever in my mind. From the time I was a small boy, you’ve taught me the truth and lived it before my eyes. One thing has always been clear to me. It was not because we had merit or deserved freedom that the Lord delivered us from Egypt. The Lord saved us out of His great mercy.” Salmon held his hands out. “Would the Lord not extend His mercy to anyone who yearns to belong to Him? I saw this yearning in Rahab. I heard it in her voice. She believes the Lord is God, and she declared her allegiance to Him by saving us, His servants.” He paused, weighing his next words carefully. Finally he spoke the question that had been burning on his heart for the past three days. “Could it not be that God has aligned the desire of my heart with His good purpose toward this woman?”
Caleb considered his words. “You’re only guessing about the desires of this woman’s heart, Salmon.”
“It is a sign of wisdom that she is in awe of the Lord. Could Rahab truly declare that the Lord is the only God—the God of the heavens above and the earth below—if God Himself had not written His name upon her heart?”
“If you seek a quick answer from me, my son, I have none. We must both pray and seek God’s will in this matter.”
Salmon struggled against the urgency he felt. “If anyone finds out she’s given aid to Ephraim and me, she may not survive long enough to be rescued. I should go back—”
“Did she ask this of you?”
“No, but—”
Caleb’s eyes blazed. “Then I would ask you this: where is your faith, Salmon? If it is indeed God’s plan to deliver this woman, He will do it. ”
Salmon started to say more but was silenced when he looked into Caleb’s eyes. He had said enough already. The lines in the old man’s face showed wisdom earned by years of suffering. The sins of others, including those of Salmon’s own father and mother, had caused Caleb and Joshua greater heartache than he would ever know. It had been almost forty years since Joshua and Caleb had received the promise that they would be the only ones of their generation to set foot in the Promised Land. Two out of an entire people. All because the others had refused to believe the promise God had given them.
“I believe the Lord will protect her,” Salmon said, lowering his head. “May God forgive my unbelief.”
“I was young and impetuous once,” Caleb said more gently. “You must learn to be patient. God doesn’t need our help.”
Salmon raised his head and smiled. “When you meet Rahab, you’ll understand what I see in her.”
“ If I meet Rahab, I’ll know it is by
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