From Joshua 4

After Israel crossed the Red Sea in Exodus, God instructed them to celebrate the Passover annually to remember what He had done for them in Egypt.  Here, God instructs the Israelites to “take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests’ feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.” (Joshua 4:3) Those stone came from the bed of the Jordan and would remind future generations of what God did that day.  He ushered the river aside so that Israel could walk through on dry ground and enter the Promised Land.  Those stones would remind people of yet another miracle that God did for them and another promise that He followed through on.  This reminder wasn’t just to look back either, it was looking at how God had acted in the past to see how He will move in the future.

In some ways our experience is similar to that of the Israelites here.  We read the Old Testament to see how God has acted in the past to see how He will continue to move in our lives, in that way it almost serves a similar function as those memorial stones.  Now, the Word of God is obviously more expansive than some rocks the Israelites pulled out of the Jordan River, but these verses help give us a handle on part of what it does for us.  It can also validate the creation of symbols and other things to remind us of how God has worked in our lives.  We can point to these things to remind ourselves how God has worked, or to help teach the people around us how He has worked, and to point us towards how God will continue to move.  So next time God works in your life, maybe you “pick up a stone” to remind you how He has worked and to encourage you to look forward to how He will work.

Focus on God

We are reminded in these verses that God graciously gives us plenty of examples for how He works.

Function in Our Lives

We are encouraged to remind ourselves how God has worked in our lives.

Topics to Pray About                                                               

  • Thank God for giving us so many examples of His incredible character.
  • Confess to God the times where you don’t remember what He has done for you.
  • Ask God to draw your attention to His work in your life.

In His Service,

J. LeBorious