Hope’s Cord

 

Like Rahab’s scarlet cord
hanging from her window

I am your lifeline
of hope

no matter your past
or how messy life is

reach for Me for I
will hold.

*********

You establish a lifeline of hope for me.

**********

“Now swear to me by the LORD that you will be kind to me and my family since I have helped you. Give me some guarantee that when Jericho is conquered, you will let me live, along with my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all their families . . .”

“Before they left, the men told her . . . ‘When we come into the land, you must leave this scarlet rope hanging from the window through which you let us down. And all your family members – your father, mother, brothers, and all your relatives – must be here inside the house . . .’ “

” ‘I accept your terms, ‘ she replied. And she sent them on their way, leaving the scarlet rope hanging from the window.”

Joshua 2:12,13,18,21

*******

Image from The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp, page 97.

You Did Not Labor

“I have given you a land for which you did not labor, and cities which you did not build, and you shall dwell in them; you eat of the vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.” Joshua 24:13

This reminds me of a time share – only they got to stay and not pay!

Lord, we thank You for forgiveness, mercy and grace, none of which we could ever work or earn on our own. We abide and rest in You, a type of dwelling place that we could not build for ourselves. Your word grows within us and nourishes us, something we never planted or imagined. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Imagine That

We have what we
haven’t worked for

we live within
what we haven’t built

we have food
that no one knows of

all of this
without shame or guilt.

This is the last post from The Book of Joshua. 🙂 On Monday, I go back to the New Testament, The Book of Acts. Thanks so much for all of your help and support!

No Going Back

“Therefore take diligent heed to yourselves, that you love the Lord your God.” Joshua 23:11
“Or else, if indeed you go back, and cling to the remnant of these nations – these that remain among you – and make marriages with them, and go in to them and they to you,” Joshua 23:12
“know for certain that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations from before you . . .” Joshua 23:13

Turning away from God can be disastrous.

Oh Lord, let any turning I do be toward You. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Diligently Yours

We love You Lord
and wish to stay

only Yours
day after day

bowing down
to Holy You

the One Who’s for us
and ever true.

To Walk In His Ways

“But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Joshua 22:5

I recall a conversation with a dear neighbor. She said no one does all that God tells us to in the Bible. Maybe she’s right . . .but it doesn’t change my desire to want to.

Lord, I love you and I want to love You more. Please show me where I’m not following after You today. And here is a simple poem . . .

With Each Step

There are reasons
for all Your ways
and every one
is good.

Oh that my feet
would walk in them
just as You know
I should.

Fail Proof

“Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord spoke to Israel. All came to pass.” Joshua 21:45

We humans fail. But God, He never fails.

Thank You, Lord, for being the one thing we can always count on. And here’s a simple poem . . .

True To The End

Not a word failed
of any good thing
that was spoken to them
by their King.

All that He’d said
came to pass
as Israel possessed
the land at last.

One Of Them

“And when he flees to one of those cities, and stands in the entrance of the gate of the city, and declares his case in the hearing of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city as one of them and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.” Joshua 20:4

Our enemy is hot on our heals, as we step within the gate where Jesus declares us forgiven and one of His.

Thank You, Jesus, for giving us a place within You. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Our Safe Rest

He is our refuge
a place to go

when we’ve done wrong
and must confess

and at the gate
of His cross

is where we find
our safe rest.

Included

“The inheritance of the children of Simeon was included in the portion of the children of Judah, for the portion of the children of Judah was too much for them.” Joshua 19:9

The inheritance that we have in Jesus is too much for us.

Please help us, Lord, to invite others to come into it too. And here’s a simple poem . . .

An Infinite Inheritance

All that You are to us
fulfills our every need

that there is more to come
is beyond our deepest dreams.

We must share this with others
for it is Yours to give

an inheritance for everyone
to run into Your arms and live.

A Given

“And the land was subdued before them.” Joshua 18:1
“But there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes which had not yet received their inheritance.” Joshua 18:2
“Then Joshua said to the children of Israel, ‘How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers has given you’?” Joshua 18:3

The children of Israel had been quite busy with the subduing of the land. Maybe it slipped their minds exactly what they were fighting for.

Lord, in the activity of daily life, may I not neglect to possess all You have already given me. And here’s a simple poem . . .

It’s Ours

He stands there
arms and hands out
giving love
peace and rest.

We need not huddle
and stay bereft
when He offers
the very best.

Wanting More

“And Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph – to Ephraim and Manasseh – saying, ‘You are a great people and have great power; you shall not have one lot only, (Joshua 17:17)
but the mountain country shall be yours. Although it is wooded, you shall cut it down, and its farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites though they have iron chariots and are strong’.” (Joshua 17:18)

The children of Joseph were wanting more than one lot and portion of land. They just might not have expected their “more” to bring with it the challenges it did.

Lord, as I seek more of You, let me not be intimidated by the work and challenges it brings. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Blessed With Him

We are blessed
in His presence
where we’re closest
to His heart
so we might find
in life’s hard moments
that we are blessed
most of all.

Where Lots Fall

“The lot fell to the children of Joseph, from the Jordan, by Jericho, to the waters of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that goes up from Jericho through the mountains to Bethel, (Joshua 16:1)
then went out from Bethel to Luz, passed along to the border of the Archites at Ataroth, (Joshua 16:2)
and went down westward to the boundary of the Japhletites, as far as the boundary of Lower Beth Horon to Gezer, and it ended at the sea. (Joshua 16:3)
So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.” (Joshua 16:4)

There is something about the way the borders are described that speaks to me of much love, thought and care.

Oh Lord, help us to understand our own boundaries and borders today. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Boundaries and Borders

The expectations are high
to do this, to go there

in fear of disappointing
we might cross out of where

God has set a safe place
around our hearts’ design

with room to thrive and grow
into all He has in mind.