12 Stones

"When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordon, the Lord said to Joshua, 'Choose twelve men from among the people, on from each tribe, and tell then to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan from right where the priests stood and to carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight'." Joshua 4:1-3

The nation of Israel wandered in the desert over forty years after Moses lead them out of slavery in Egypt. They endured many hardships and were not allowed entrance into the promised land under his leadership because they were disobedient. Even with God leading them out with his physical presence going before them and all the miracles they saw on their long journey, they still could not follow God into the promised land.

Finally after the death of Moses the day had come and Joshua was chosen to lead them across a rain swollen Jordan River. God again would part the waters and the thousands of freed slaves would walk across like they did the Red Sea into the land that God had promised them so long ago.

But God knew our nature. He knew the generation before had failed to pass on the miracles they saw God perform in front of Pharaoh, the parting of the Red Sea, the cloud they followed across the vast expanse of desert, or even the manna from heaven. He knew these memories too would fade over time if he didn't command them to build a monument with 12 stones carefully retrieved from the very riverbed that was dried up by him when the Levite priests stepped into the water.

Our memories of how God has brought us from the depths of despair or the bondage of drugs and alcohol, seem to fade when times are good. We are hesitant to tell our children of the failures from which God redeemed us out of embarrassment and pride. We must build monuments to remind other generations of the sacrifices He and others who followed him obediently made to save the us from suffering.

Brothers and sisters, we must become monuments to the saving power of God and of his Son Jesus Christ. We must share our testimony with the next generation and encourage them to do the same with their children. We can no longer hide our faults and struggles from our neighbors and our families. We must share how Jesus redeemed us and from what depths he has pulled us up into our "promised land". Don't be afraid to share your miracle with someone. Be one of the twelve stones in this generation!

My prayer: Father, thank you for being a great God, a saving God, and a miracle working God. Thank you for saving me from the depths of my sin. Let us not be too proud or too embarrassed to share the testimony that you have created in our lives. Help us Lord to be monuments of your great love in this generation and in the next. In Jesus name I pray, Amen!