Rahab's Promise

My heart pounded in my chest. Israelites! Everyone in the city was talking about them and the wonderful miracles that the God of heaven had performed for them. He had helped them win many battles and had given them food and water out in the desert. A few days ago He had even made them a path right across the flooded Jordan River so they could cross over safely. Now the Israelites were coming to Jericho. Aunt Rahab's house was built right into Jericho's thick stone wall. It was very big house, a very beautiful house. And right now it was very crowded house. Aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, Grandma and Grandpa, and cousins, cousins, cousins everywhere! And all of them were there because of the promise. The promise. We children listened, wide-eyed, as Aunt Rahab talked about spies and marching feet, about trumpet blasts and tumbling walls, about a God who was much different than any of our gods. We watched, hardly daring to breathe, as she hung a long red cord from the very top of the window. "The God of heaven," she said, "has promised . . ."