Day 16 - Expectations

I was asked today to speak to my church's youth group about expectations. The verse I used is Psalm 62:5 (NKJV) - "My soul, wait silently for God alone for my expectation is from him." The Hebrew word for expectation means "hope" but it is also used to mean "cord" in Joshua 2, the story of Rahab and the spies. Interestingly, rope/cord is used three times in this passage and there are three different Hebrew words used to talk about this rope. In verse 15, Rahab lets the spies down by using a rope. Then in verse 18 the spies tell her that if she puts this scarlet cord in the window through which she let them down, then her household would be spared from death. Finally in verse 21 she tied the scarlet cord in the window. It is this last use of the word "cord" that is the same Hebrew word as "expectation" in Psalm 62:5. I believe it is because Rahab tied the cord in expectation that the spies would keep their promise to her. My picture for today shows my boots and a red cord hanging from my sign to represent Rahab's scarlet cord. In the background you can see part of a beautiful cross to remind me that I can expect God to keep His promises to me! Even when my circumstances scream at me to doubt this, I will choose to believe, with child-like faith, that God will do what He says He will do in His timing and in His way! I also decided to start to wear a red piece of yarn around my wrist to remind me that "he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23)