Joshua 4:8-14: a reflection

8The children of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the middle of the Jordan, as the LORD spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel. They carried them over with them to the place where they camped, and laid them down there. 9Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day. 10For the priests who bore the ark stood in the middle of the Jordan until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua; and the people hurried and passed over. 11When all the people had completely crossed over, the LORD’s ark crossed over with the priests in the presence of the people. 12The children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spoke to them. 13About forty thousand men, ready and armed for war, passed over before the LORD to battle, to the plains of Jericho. 14On that day, the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.

After God parts the Jordan and brings Israel across on dry ground, he commands them to take twelve stones from the middle of the riverbed and set them up as a memorial. The purpose is remembrance: the stones would stand as a sign, so that in years to come, when children asked what they meant, their parents could tell them how God had brought Israel across the Jordan. The memorial was to keep the memory of God's great act alive for generations who had not seen it.

Notice the purpose of the stones: to help God's people remember, and to pass the memory on. Israel was prone to forget what God had done; and so God had them set up a visible reminder, stones that would prompt the question, what do these mean, and the answer that told the story of God's faithfulness. The memorial was a way of remembering, and of teaching the next generation what they had not seen for themselves.

That is a practice worth learning. We, too, are prone to forget what God has done for us, and the memories fade unless we deliberately keep them. And those who come after us will not know what God has done unless we tell them. Mark and remember God's works in your own life; keep some reminder of his faithfulness, so that you do not forget, and so that you can tell others, especially the next generation, what God has done. Set up your own stones of remembrance, whatever helps you recall God's faithfulness; and when others ask, tell them the story, passing on to those who come after the memory of what God has done, that they too may know him.

Lord, when you brought Israel across the Jordan, you had them set up twelve stones as a memorial, so that in years to come, when children asked what they meant, their parents could tell how you had brought them across; the stones kept the memory of your act alive for generations who had not seen it. Teach me that practice. I am prone to forget what you have done for me, and the memories fade unless I deliberately keep them; and those who come after me will not know what you have done unless I tell them. Help me mark and remember your works in my own life, keeping reminders of your faithfulness, so that I do not forget, and so that I can tell others, especially the next generation, what you have done. Help me set up my own stones of remembrance, and when others ask, to tell them the story, passing on the memory of your faithfulness to those who come after, that they too may know you.