How’s your memory? As we get older, we have so many more memories than we had when we were young. I remember standing at the altar at my wedding trying to capture in my memory the feelings and atmosphere of that special day. The same with the birth of each of our children–my first glimpse of their individual faces and the sense of new life and new stories being written in and for our family. I thought I would never forget….but sadly I did and do. As time goes by those special feelings and memories begin to fade. One year I wrote each of their birth stories and gave it to each of my children so they would know how much we anticipated them and how they came in this world with a special opening chapter–written and planned by God, interwoven by my husband and I.
After forty years of wandering the wilderness it finally came time for them to enter the land promised by the Lord. Joshua 3:15 tells us It was the harvest season and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river’s edge the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry. They all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho.. How amazing would that be to be part of that amazing story? It would be one you think you would never forget, right? To watch the river dry up and watch God miraculously make a way where there really was no way! However, the Lord instructed Joshua to have the priests take up twelve stones from the river bed and make a memorial. Verse 21: Then Joshua said to the Israelite, In the future your children will ask, “what do these stones mean?” Then you can tell them. This is where the Israelite’s crossed the Jordan on dry ground. For the Lord your God dried up the river right before your eyes, and he kept it dry until you were all across, just as we did at the Red Sea when he dried it up until we had all crossed over. He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the Lord’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the Lord your God forever.
So I ask you to consider today…what are YOUR memorial stones? Do we mark the answered prayers in our life so we won’t forget? Revelation tells us we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. My mom kept a diary for most of her life. She recorded moments in time that were important to her. Some are kind of boring to read, but read in a larger picture they give us a glimpse into the many chapters of her life. I am grateful for them. Off and on in my life I have been a journal-er. Several years ago Darryl and I made a trip to Ghana. It was a memorable trip in so many ways–but actually re-reading my journal of that time I realize just how much God did in and through us! My conscious memory has lost those stories–but they are still available because I wrote them down.
Jesus told us to partake of the Lord’s Supper as a memorial to Him…this do in remembrance of me. Why? because he knew we would forget. We need to be reminded of his death and sacrifice. He gave us a specific way to do this. We are asked to remember his body that was broken for us and his blood which was poured out for us. The elements of the bread and wine are our memorial stones–reminding us that we have a Savior who loves us. No matter how easy or difficult life may seem at communion time–it brings us back to the basics. We were sinners who needed a savior–and we have ONE!
I would encourage you to make your own memorial stones–these are not idols to be worshiped–but simple reminders of how good your God has been to answer prayer, to faithfully show up, to show forth His love to you and your family. During difficult times, it will serve to jog your memory and cause you to look up.
Faith Encounters 