Stones of Remembrance

“These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever.” JOSHUA 4:7

Stones of Remembrance Josh 4:1-24

Keepsakes mark significant occasions in our lives such as births, graduations, engagements, and weddings. We save souvenirs from vacations, medals and trophies, and special hand-me-downs from our elders. We sometimes even keep things that remind us of the difficulties that we faced in our lives and somehow found our way through. These mementoes trigger memories and help us share the stories that give our children a better understanding of our history and experiences.

As the Israelites prepared to cross the Jordan River, they may have retold stories of how God parted the Red Sea so their ancestors could cross on dry ground (see 4:23) and about the songs that Moses and Miriam wrote and sang to commemorate their dramatic escape from Egyptian bondage (Exod 15:1-21). Similarly, Joshua called together twelve men and instructed them to remove stones from the riverbed to build a memorial that would bear witness to the providence of God for generations (Josh 4:1-7).

We may not build stone altars today, but we still need reminders of God’s love and mercy. In the midst of hardships, it is easy to lose sight of the truth of God’s love. We can become trapped by erroneous thinking, worry, or complaints. Take time to consider a trial that God has brought you or a loved one through. Celebrate those hard-earned milestones. Remember Joshua’s message: “[God] did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the LORD’s hand is powerful” (4:24).