A Cord Of Attachment

There she stood gazing at the window, not really looking out but just at the frame that made up the hole in the wall where the two men recently descended from her home.  

Clutching to the line of scarlet cord that one of the men placed in her hands with specific instructions, Rahab finally found what she was looking for, a place to secure the cord in hopes of rescue when the Israelites returned.

In the Book of Joshua chapter 2 we find the story of Rahab and the Israelite spies and this is where we find the most interesting Hebrew word for expect.  The word Tiqvah (Strongs 8615 pronounced tik-vaw’) which means something yearned for, to anticipate eagerly, something for which one waits.  This word comes from the verb qavah which means to look hopefully in a particular direction. The original meaning was to stretch like a rope.

So here in the story of Rahab we find in her hands a cord of expectation and hope.

In Joshua chapter 2 verse 18 is states: “thou shalt bind this line (hope, expectation) of scarlet thread (cord) in the window which you let us down…”

Then in verse 21 we read, “she bound the scarlet cord (the tiqvah- a line of hope in expectation of salvation) to the window.”

Rahab had already told the spies she knew who the Lord was and what He had done for their people. Now she was tying a scarlet cord to her window waiting and longing for the Lord to send the men to rescue her in His time.  She was ready and looking for their rescue of her and her family. Even at the same time, she was longingly and expectantly looking in the direction of the One who would be her real salvation. 

For I had a feeling she was a little like Psalmist in Psalm 121, “I will lift my eye to the hills where does my help come from? My help comes for the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.”

Don’t you simply love the symbolism in the Bible? The cord was not only a symbol of her expectation of immediate rescue but also of the rescue from sin by the Savior Jesus Christ.

Maybe you are in a situation where you need refocus and to get to the place of expectation.  

Maybe you need to find your own tiqvah, a cord to tie with expectation.

Oh my friend, you may feel as though you are surrounded by heart melting circumstances just as the people of Jericho when the Israelites marched across the desert towards them (Joshua 2:11) but when you step out in faith like Rahab and tie on to God’s hope expecting Him in His way you will always find Him faithful.

Father, teach us to attach ourselves to you with a cord of expectation.  Let us see your faithfulness even when we have fear surrounding us and we need your rescue.

Living to Expect

Have you ever had a common word, a word you have heard more times than you can count,  all the sudden make you sit up straight and listen?  A word that once you look more closely at makes your eyes grow wide and your lips part as you realize your chin is dropping to the ground?  A word that just might have become a game changer in the way you look at it ever again?

For me this happened recently with the word EXPECT.  As the end of 2014 drew to a close I was struggling with life situations.  I was at a quandary as to how I was to proceed with 2015 regarding a passion and purpose.  Frankly things just seemed ho hum and I didn't know how or where to place my next step so I began praying for God to show me a word to study or something that would direct me or even restore a passionate life.

Not knowing where to really begin I grabbed my Bible…OK I know that is where you always begin but I didn't know how to “hear” which word God had for me.  I turned to the concordance in the back and started reading aloud the words found there.  Starting in the A’s I would read a word then jotted it down and thinking halfheartedly, “Well I could do this one.” 

Page after page, I sat jotting down words that were safe in my mind.  Sitting at my kitchen table I was combing through the alphabet…A…B…C and so on until I reached the end of E.  The word Expect struck a chord.  I tried to flip the page and go on to F but it was like God wouldn't let me pass that word.  I know then that God’s word for me was EXPECT. 

Expect: a verb meaning to look forward to; regard as likely to happen; anticipate the occurrence or the coming of.

I know what you might be thinking here…”Um… Cynthia, this is no news alert. We know that definition.”  I agree!  I knew that meaning as well but what I didn't know was the Hebrew and Greek meanings of the words that were translated into English as expect.

When reading the original meanings of the word I sensed a deeper pulling of the words. Within the definitions came the gripping words of hope, intense anticipation, apprehension, earnest expectation, wait, that thing I long for and looking hopefully in a particular direction.  But the one that struck me odd until I dug further was “a cord as an attachment.”  Where in the world did that come from and how did it fit?

Over the next few weeks we will look at this word expect. Digging in and hoping to find more of a reason to expect.

Are you expecting something?  

Have you given up expecting something from God?

Edwin Louis Cole says, “Expectancy is the atmosphere of miracles.”

Father, I pray that you will teach us to expect you more, to place all our hope quietly before you.  For everything that we long for is in you, O God, alone.

EXPECT....The Word God gave me to study.

God gave me a word at the beginning of this year.

That word is EXPECT.

Please listen to my radio show "My Journey of Faith" as I share what God taught me.

This would be a great topic for a ladies night out or a retreat.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/…/20…/04/09/my-journey-of-faith



Praying that you will Expect God every day!

Blessings,

Cynthia

They Need Us....Gray Hair and All

Sometimes I get tickled at God’s sense of humor.

I mean really if anyone should have a great sense of humor it would be The Creator of all things.

For example look over to your right at my profile picture.  See all that gray hair?  I mean really I am not even 50 years old yet.  Close but not yet.  I tried so hard to keep that gray in check.  Spending hours upon hours and going through bottles upon bottles of colorant to hide what was sprouting out of my head.

Finally I gave up.  After every couple of weeks looking into the mirror to see a growing halo (and not the angelic kind) I bit the bullet and stepped away from the bottle.  Surely I could find better ways to spend that money that I was investing at a losing speed on hair color. My only prayer was God please let it look halfway decent.

It took over a year to let it grow out and subject family and friends to the awful transition but it finally got there.

Then as I was reading in Psalm I came across a verse that tickled me and had me saying “Yes, Lord Yes” at the same time.

Here’s the verse.

“Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me.”   Psalm 71:18

Isn’t that first part a hoot?

But more than that I do desire to proclaim His power and His mighty miracles to all who come after me!

This new generation needs every one of us. They need to hear how God has been faithful to us. They need to know that He too will be faithful to them.

Share your story. Proclaim His Power. Speak of His miracles.

Let’s impact the next generation.  

Do you have a God sense of humor story?  Please share.

Blessing!

Cynthia

After the Miracle

You may not know this but I am also a radio host.

Yep God caught me out of the blue when He directed the founder of My Journey of Faith Ministries to call me and ask me to host the radio show.

Can I tell you it was NOT on my radar!!! But God....

God would not let me dismiss it and I have almost been doing it weekly for two years.  YES 2 years!!!

Every so often a show captures my heart like the one I am going to share with you.
If you have 30 minutes I ask that you listen to the story by Rachel Pferi about After the Miracle.

You will be blessed.

I'll post more shows in the future or you can listen live every Thursday.  Join my facebook page My Journey of Faith Radio to find past and future links.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cwa-radio/2015/02/19/my-journey-of-faith

Enjoy and Blessings!

Cynthia

The Best Guide Ever!

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life, I will advise you and watch over you.” Psalm 32:8

Have you ever been lost, whether physically or maybe mentally?  It is during those times when you just weren’t sure where you are.

I have!  In both circumstances that is for sure. Several years ago I went on a mission trip to Peru. At one point the group split into two smaller groups and headed out.  The further the group I was in got from the other group and the higher we got into the Andes Mountain the more we became aware that we were lost.  You know there aren’t any street signs up on those dry dusty roads and goggle earth wasn’t even up and running at that time.  The only life we found at one point was a pack of llamas and they refused to give good directions.

It did get a little frustrating but eventually we found the village we were looking for and the rest of the trip we laughed about it.

But it is those times when we are lost mentally that seems to cause more of a struggle.  Maybe it is in the not knowing what the next step in life should be, what direction a ministry should take or maybe it is closer to the heart of parenting, raising that child and making the correct choices.

This is where today's verse gives me a pause of thankfulness.  God says He will guide, advise us and watch over us.  Can I get a collective sigh of relief?

Guide- Have you ever been on an adventure with a guide?  They point out the best places to put your foot when the terrain gets rocky.  They direct your eyes to the best vantage points and they show you the things that an untrained eye would normally miss.  God is telling us that He is our guide and He not only knows the best foot placements but also knows the best vantage points and what we might miss along the way if left to ourselves.  

Advise- God is the ultimate advisor!  He is better than the college professor that helped you coordinate your classes for obtaining the degree you longed for.  He is better that the financial pro that helps you put your portfolio together so that funds will not run out for retirement.  His advising doesn’t rely on stock markets or academic requirements.  God knows the BIG picture and advises you for what is the perfect, very best for your life to bring Him honor and glory! God only advises what is best with no risk to your future with him.  

Watching over-When my boys were little I would watch over them with a close eye.  I would see when they were headed in the wrong direction and reroute their steps.  However there were times when I would let my mind wander and my watch over them wasn’t as on point.  They would veer way off track before I could correct them quickly enough.  With God that isn’t so.  His watch is constant and doesn’t get altered by things fighting for his attention.  He is ever seeing!  God watches over us without delay, interruption or slackness. 

God sees the big picture! And for that I am so thankful.  I am called like a child to his parents to listen the God’s voice. God is and always will be the best guide, advisor and one to watch over me!

Are you allowing Him that role in your life?  Are you listening to His voice?

May we all be open to allowing God to do in our lives what He alone can do best!

Words of Wisdom

People go through struggles and sometimes I feel like I simply don’t know what to say.   

And you know what?  That is ok!

Sometimes it is best not to say anything.  Sometimes when we speak out of our own thoughts it comes out wrong and it doesn’t accomplish what we want.   

But there are times we can speak the perfect thing to comfort someone.  So how do we know when and what to say?  

It is simple!  We learn what to say when by staying connected with God. 

“The Sovereign Lord has given me His words for wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning He wakes me and opens my understanding to His will.” Isaiah 50:4

Our verse today says that it is the Lord that gives us His words for wisdom.  What are these words?  They are His Words found written in His word the Bible. They are the words that guide us and our voices into action when needed.

I have a very special friend that has taught me so much about God’s word and one thing in particular is the two words found in this verse…”so that”.

Those two words are a purpose clause.  This clause is the connecting words that tell you why the former statement was made.  In other words, the meaning for what purpose that statement was given to us.  In this case it is for us to know how to comfort the weary.  

Isaiah tells us that God’s words give us the wisdom to comfort, to speak and even to know when to stay quiet. 

I love that Isaiah also tells us that morning by morning when we open His word and God also opens our understanding to His will.  It is a daily process and one that will impart valuable wisdom into our daily lives.

Are you gleaning His wisdom daily? 

Are you learning how to comfort the weary through His power?

Please share what God is teaching you as you open His Words and He opens your understanding.