Memorial Stones:

Sometimes we need to just take a walk in the woods with Jesus as "Boss Man" from Bayouca would say and today was one of those days with me. But since there really isn't any quite woods around this area, at least none that I've been able to find, i settled for a park with an old trail and a log on the side of it. On that log, on that trail, in that park I met with Jesus and the God of the universe and we read from the book of Joshua chapter 3 and 4 the story of the Israelites crossing the river Jordan.

I've read this story before but what really stood out to me was what God commanded the Israelites to do after the crossing chapter 4 verses 2-3 says: "Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, and command them, saying, 'Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests feet stood firm, You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.' "

When i first read those verses i was said to myself "Why would God command them to take stones? Why would that be important?"Then as i continue to read i noticed in vs 6 that Joshua gives them a reason "that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, 'What do these stones mean to you?' Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be fore a memorial to the children of Israel forever." God commands his people to take something with them as a memorial of his wonderful work in their lives so that they won't forget (as people have a tendency to do) and they can pass down to generations that come the wonderful and mighty acts of the LORD of the heavens and of the earth.

As i finished reading these chapters I spoke with God and said "But you don't dry up rivers any more for a crossing, and you don't work in those ways any more to prove to others that you are God. So then how do we speak of you? What do we tell others about you? How do we proclaim your wonderful and mighty acts if you don't works in those ways anymore?"Then God speaks softly as he usually does "I do other things in your life don't I?"

It's true, he does do other things in my life that deserve just as much praise and remembrance that His work at the river Jordan does. But like the Israelites i can easily forget the ways that he has proven himself to be LORD.

So today I asked myself, why don't we have things, symbols, that remind us of a period of time where God changed us. Where he did something great that only he could do in our lives, like salvation, or providing through others love, mercy and grace. Why don't we have our own "memorial stones" laying in our houses or apartments that when we walk by remind us of God and what he has done. Things that when someone comes over they look at and say "What is that, and why do you have it in your house." Things that provide us opportunities to share with others Gods wonderful and mighty works in our own lives. Things that as verse 6 says may be "a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, "what do these stones mean to you?'

I'm not saying that we all go grab a pile of stones to set in a corner of our living rooms every time God does something in our hearts but maybe we should look for a small random object that doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of our belongings so that when people see it they will ask "What is this to you?" and then we can share with them.

I have a small stick from my time spent with God today sitting on top of my t.v...my own little "memorial stone" what can you do to help you remember God's faithfulness and deliverance in your own life?