reflections on god's faithfulness

Last time I shared some thoughts on Deut. 16:1-21—the Feasts of Passover, Weeks and Booths—Reminders of God’s acting in Israel’s midst . This week I’m drawn to this question, “What do these stones mean to you?” This is the question the Lord told Israel their children would ask one day when passing by a monument of twelve stones they had taken out of the middle of the Jordan River in Joshua 4:1-7. I’ve heard it said that one generation experiences the Lord, the next generation assumes the Lord and the third generation abandons the Lord. These stones were to be a fresh first-hand experience of the Lord to the succeeding generations.

The Lord brought Israel through the Jordan on dry ground. The Lord had not only delivered them from slavery in Egypt, but He had brought into the Promised Land. God commanded Joshua to instruct the tribes to each send forth one man in to the River and to pick up a stone from under the feet of the priests who stood holding the Ark of the Covenant, “from the very place where the priests’ feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down where you lodge tonight.” (Josh 4:3) Consider the scene for a moment. God is holding back the waters of the river, the priests are standing holding the Ark, Israel is on it’s way to destroy Jericho. There is business to attend to. The pragmatist in me says, “Forget the rocks, let’s get going here. We have things to accomplish for the Lord!”

The Lord though sees it differently. He knows how we humans forget. He knows this is a momentous occasion that must be remembered for the sake of Israel’s future faith. It’s not enough to just let the moment pass in the midst of the hustle and bustle of ministry. So He commends them to take these stones to set up a monument. Why? So that one day they would walk by with their kids—many not yet born—and the inquisitive young mind would look to his dad and ask, “Dad, what’s the deal with this pile of rocks?” The father would tell his son how he had crossed the river on dry land the day the Lord cut off the waters. Grandfather would tell grandson of his experience. Father would tell son of his own grandfather’s experience.

This monument was to be a sign form one generation to the next that would testify to the mighty acts of God in their midst. It would remind the first generation that it really happened. They would be forced to remember and testify to their own experience of God. It was an opportunity for following generations to experience the Lord firsthand themselves—to keep them from assuming the Lord.

During the 75th Anniversary we will looking afresh at various stones that have been left. Some that we aware of—perhaps some that have been forgotten. Their are some in our midst who were there, who can tell us what these stones mean to them. There are others who heard the stories firsthand. There are others still asking the question, “What do these stones mean to you?” 75 years is a momentous occasion that must be remembered for the sake of our own future faith. It’s not enough to just let the moment pass in the midst of the hustle and bustle of ministry. Let’s take this opportunity to erect a monument ourselves so that our children and grandchildren—those who celebrate 100, 150 and 200 years—will ask “What do these stones mean to you?”