Joshua 4:20-24 – And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal. And he said to the people of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in times to come, What do these stones mean? then you shall let your children know, Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground. For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.” .
When Israel entered into the land of Canaan as God had promised, the Lord performed a great sign. Much like the Exodus, God allowed the Israelites to pass over water, but on dry ground. This time, it was the River Jordan, which was at flood stage, that God caused to dry up long enough for all the nation to cross.
Joshua commanded the people to gather twelve stones from the miraculously dry river bet and bring them to the shore. He then set them up as a monument, a reminder of what God had done. The people were to see those stones, remember the great thing that God did on that day, and allow that to give them confidence for the future. They were to tell their children about the miraculous crossing of the Jordan whenever they saw the stones, so that future generations would marvel at the faithfulness and power of God.
Have you ever set up a spiritual marker in your own life? It is not as Old Testament as you might think. God wants us to remember the great things he has done for us. We remember things like Jesus’ birth and his crucifixion and resurrection with holidays, special services, and special meals. But wouldn’t it be wise for us to also remember the things that God has done in our own lives? Do you remember the date when you were saved—not all can—; perhaps you should mark that day as a day of celebration. If you commemorate your birthday or anniversary, how much would it really take for you to also commemorate your spiritual second birth? What about great things that God has done for you in the past such as miraculously meeting your needs, leading you to a wise decision, granting you health, or showing you something of his glory; should you not commemorate those things with something?
Perhaps today would be a good day for you to take a moment to think back over some of the great things God has done in your life. Take time to write them down in a journal. Perhaps you can tell a new friend something that God did for you years before you ever met. Perhaps you can plan a special meal in celebration of the good things that God has done. Perhaps you can offer God praise in a special time of worship.
Joshua’s command to set up the stones from the river was a good thing. It is good for the people of God to remember the glory and faithful provision of God. It is good for us to have confidence in the future because of God’s faithfulness in the past. Let us never fail to remember the great things that God has done.
Pastor Travis Peterson 