Markers of Remembrance

5”and Joshua said to them, cross again to the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone 0on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel.6 Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ 7 then you shall say to them, ‘because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord: when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.’ So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.” -Joshua 4:5-7 ASV

There are times God has worked greatly in my past, upon which I can remember, and gain strength to fight the battle he has for me today. Sometimes there are tangible things that I keep to remember such times. I remember at a retreat once, God really spoke to me and simply requested that I give up my brand new automobile. It was much louder than an audible voice. There was a time at that retreat when we were given a single kernel of corn....the teaching that weekend was on the “fallow ground” and how we must die to self in order to live a true life in Christ. I remember looking at that kernel of corn after the prayer time and saying to a friend, “there is my new car.” I returned home that week and by the end of the week, I had “downsized” vehicles to the car I currently drive today...a 1993 Toyota Tercel. I still remember that day vividly, when God moved in my life and taught me a valuable lesson about material things. Mainly due to remembering that kernel of corn laid down in the middle of the floor that night. Any time I am tempted to “worship” material things today, I can remember that little kernel of corn, and I am given strength to fight against material greed.

The verse above from Joshua teaches us a similar lesson was taught to the Israelites that day when they once again walked across a very dry river bottom. When God moves in our life in a miraculous way, we want to remember those “special times” for strength in future battles. God obviously wanted the children of Israel to place the stones as “markers of remembrance” for His deliverance and stopping the flow of the Jordan River that day. David also remembered killing the lion and bear as he was facing his giant....it is what helped him defeat his giant, remembering the deliverance of the Lord from battles past.

So, whenever you experience God moving in your life in a great way, get a marker of remembrance to help you remember what God has done. It is so much easier for us to fight the battle before us when we have confidence from the last victory behind us. Press on, and remember the Victory is ours!