Read Joshua 4
Our
faith-building experiences are not intended only for ourselves. In Joshua 4 the
people of Israel have just finished crossing the Jordan River. The chapter
opens with a directive from God to Joshua. He wants a memorial built. Joshua obeys.
One man from each tribe is commanded to return to the riverbed, to the spot
where the priests are standing. Each man must pick up one stone. These stones
will be placed at Gilgal as a monument to what the Lord had done this day. This
monument will remind future generations of what God had done, “that all the
peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, so that
[they] may fear the Lord your God forever” (v 24).
Midway
through the chapter there is a pause to record the specifics of how Israel just
crossed the Jordan. We are reminded that the priests went first with the Ark.
Next, the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed. These
tribes had settled east of the Jordan, on the condition that they would help
their fellow Israelites in battle (Numbers 32). The men of these tribes
faithfully obeyed, leaving their homes behind to aid Israel in conquering
Canaan. The rest of Israel followed and once they reached dry land the priests
also left the river.
Prayer
and Journaling
1. Whenever God works a miracle he wants to
bless two sets of people. First, He wants to bless those who directly receive
the miracle, leading them to Himself. Second, He wants to draw other people to
Himself as they hear the story re-told. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you one
story or situation where God has come through for you personally. Ask Him who
you need to share this story with.
2. Building monuments can be beneficial in
our own lives. When we are faced with seasons of doubt or attacks from the
enemy one of the tools we can use is remembering the truth of what God has done
in our lives. Holding fast to our personal experience with Jesus can help us
weather any storm. There are countless different ways we can set up reminders
for ourselves of who God is and what He has done. For example, some people keep
journals of their experiences that they read through periodically, others have
artwork in their homes that remind them of God. Ask God how you can set up such
a reminder in your life.
3. Pray for the parents and children in our
church family today. God clearly wants older generations to teach younger
generations how to follow Him (v 6-7, 21-24). Pray that parents would humbly
and prayerfully decide how to raise their children in righteousness.
