Joshua 4:5-7
I have heard it said that every day ought to be a day of thanksgiving for the child of God. Gratitude is essential for growth and maturity in our lives. Ingratitude is the result of a very short memory because it forgets who God is and what He has done in our lives. The Lord didn’t want this to happen with the Israelites. He had shown Himself strong on their behalf by leading them across the Jordan into the Promise Land. In order to help them remember what He had done, the Lord tells them to set up two heaps of stones to serve as memorials.
The first heap of stone was to be set up in the middle of the Jordan River, while the second heap was to be set up at Gilgal after they had crossed. Each heap was made up of twelve stones representing the twelve tribes. The time would come when their children would ask about the meaning behind the pile of stones. It became an opportunity for one generation to share with the next and show them how God had been faithful to keep His promise. God wanted the people to remember what He did at the Jordan and to pass on that remembrance to future generations. By pointing to the memorial stones, the parents of the next generation could have an opportunity to instruct their children about God’s faithfulness.
Each of us need some “memorial stones” in our lives that we can point to. Our sinful human minds are prone to forget the blessings of God. It is important that we remember the times in our lives where God has shown up in our difficult situation. Maybe it is as simple as keeping a journal, or perhaps a family Bible with important dates and events. Make a list of how God has been faithful over and over again in your life. When you get discouraged, take out that list and be reminded of His faithfulness as you remember these “memorial stones.”
For more, read Joshua 4:1-24; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
