And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.
Joshua 4:9
The crisp morning air is a welcome respite as Laisa and I set out for our Sunday stroll. The walk is a way to distract my indefatigable toddler niece.
Our barefooted amble soon becomes a treasure hunt with Laisa frequently stopping to pick pebbles. She inspects them and weighs them in her hands, looking for, what, I don’t know. She throws away the ones that don’t match her taste and carefully tightens her little fists around the ones she likes and doesn’t let go.
Laisa’s pebble hunt reminds me of God’s instructions to Joshua for a memorial. God commands that a man from each of the twelve tribes of Israel pick a stone each from the Jordan and heap them as a memorial to all the things God had done for them. The men erected the memorial in Gilgal. You can read about the event in Joshua chapter 4.
I wonder if any of the men took the same care in selecting their stones as Laisa took in choosing her pebbles. I wonder if they particularly chose the biggest stones that would stand the test of time and forever testify to future generations of their miracle-working God.
From monuments erected to famous statements, cemetery headstones that mark our loved ones’ interim resting place, photo albums, scrapbooks, and home videos, to the diaries and journals we keep, memorial stones come in all forms, shapes, and sizes.
Some record their lives infused with the richness of deep intimacy with the LORD God while others show that a life lived without Him is no life at all.
I am grateful that for us believers, the greatest memorial stone of all is God’s own Word, the Holy Bible. In its pages, we find testimonies of God’s love, mercy, and grace. God Himself inspired the written words of how we came to be and where we are going.
Your move
How are you keeping memorial stones in your life? Do you journal, do you keep a vlog, or a scrapbook, or a combination of things? Share in the comments below.
Prayer
Abba Elohim, Baruch Hashem Adonai!
You, O LORD, are from ever-lasting to ever-lasting. You are worthy of all praise. Thank You, Lord God Almighty, for Your Word and Your Truth. Heaven and earth might pass away but Your Word is forever. Please help us to read Your Word daily and to remember Your faithfulness in our lives. In Yeshua HaMashiach, our Lord and our Saviour. Amen.
Featured image by Wokandapix from Pixabay
