Belize Trip Day 5: Setting A Memorial

And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”
Joshua 4:5-7

Throughout Scripture God commanded his people to set up memorials as a way to remember what he has done. The twelve stones set up at Gilgal after the crossing of the Jordan into the Promised Land were to be a memorial for the children of Israel “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” (Joshua 4:24). It was to help the generations of Israelites and all the peoples of the earth to remember the faithfulness and might of the LORD. God commanded them to set up this memorial to encourage their faith and to be a testimony to others around them.

Psalm 105 is another example of the importance of calling to mind the former deeds of the Lord. We are to “Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered” (5). We are to “Make known his deeds among the peoples” and “tell of all his wondrous works” (1 and 2).

Remembering the trustworthy deeds of the Lord is beneficial to us and to those around us. It encourages us to continue in faithfulness to him because he has been so faithful to us in the past. We can trust him because he has proven himself trustworthy. We do not have to fear because he has shown himself mighty. Remembering the Lord’s past work is a great way to motivate us in our faith, but it is also for the purpose of spreading the glory of God among the nations. As we recall his faithfulness we can encourage others to surrender their lives to a trustworthy God who has performed mighty wonders on behalf of his people and we can encourage other believers to stay the course and continue fighting the good fight.

As the Lord works in you, through you and around you, take note. Set up a memorial, whether it be in your heart, a journal, a date in your Bible, or a more visible reminder. Keep a record of God’s faithfulness and the mighty works that you have seen. Allow those times when he is so visible and audible to encourage you and testify of His goodness and grace to those around you.

  • Pray and thank the Lord for all that he has done for you.
  • Pray that he will continue to use you to advance the Kingdom and that you will be faithful to testify of his wondrous works.
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Category: Missions
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