Joshua 4:7 “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 for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.”
There is something within the human spirit that draws us to link our lives now to memories past—significant places and events that were altogether life-changing. We see this in makeshift memorials along the roadside and statues in the park, each in its own way, evidence of something profound. Perhaps there is a degree or a photograph on your office wall, and you see locked within its frame a testament to the sacrifice, effort, and discipline you once invested.
You may be able to return to a specific spot and share the joy of an unexpected beginning with others. My family got a taste of that years ago. We were standing on the sand in Newport Beach, CA, right where Orange Street and the beach volleyball nets intersect. I gathered the grandkids together and marked the spot, telling them, “Little did I know that right here, during a break in a game, I would meet your grandma, Mimi.” It was a precious moment.
Milestones and memorials provoke a retelling of a story to each generation. Is that not true of our Christian experience as well? Where were you first introduced to Christ? When did He become your Savior? Are there scriptures that fundamentally altered your thinking? Has He led you through manifold trials? Mark each spot in your memory. Commemorate them as a testament to God’s greatness and power.
God tells us to remember for a reason. Like Joshua, we need stones of remembrance so that, in retelling our stories to our children and children’s children, God might be glorified.
– Pastor Jack
Click here to read all of Jack Hibbs’ Weekly Devotionals at Real Life with Jack Hibbs.
