This may seem like a weird question because when we think of stones, we think of throwing them. We live on the lake and when children are here the first thing they want to do, is throw rocks in the water. Several times in scripture we see stones used. With David and Goliath, they became weapons, in Genesis 28:11, they serve as a pillow for Jacob, but in Joshua chapter 4 they are memorials.
They had waited over 40 years to cross the Jordan River into the land God had promised. Now, under the direction of Joshua, they would walk across a riverbed that God had made dry for them. Much like the beginning of their journey out of Egypt, there was a vast river that they must cross and only God could part the waters for them.
When God parted the Jordan River they walked across, but then one leader from each of the 12 tribes, was to go back and bring a stone from the middle of the riverbed. They were to pass before the Ark of the Lord, put the stone on their shoulder, and bring it out and stack them as a memorial of what God had done. Then Joshua went back and made a monument of 12 stones in the middle of the Jordan where the priest’s feet stood. It would serve as a teaching tool to future generations of what great things God had done for His people.
Joshua 4:3-9 “And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night. Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man: And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel: That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel forever. And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the LORD spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.”
What “stones” are you placing in your life to remind you of the goodness of God? Have you told your children or grandchildren of the events in your life where you knew only God could have stepped in on your behalf? As a child, I remember listening to my grandparents talk about the events of their lives. I was always drawn to their stories of hard times and celebrations of victory over those hard times. Our children, our friends, and anyone who is part of our circle of influence need to know how God worked in the past. God has not changed, and they need to understand he can do great things for them too. We spend too much time talking about things that have no eternal value, and no importance in the life of the believer. This week many will be gathering with family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving. This day and the following holidays will be a good time for you to share with them. Take time today to think of what God has done for you. Remember the stones and pass on the lessons from them. Pass on the story of your salvation, the story of God bringing peace to your soul in a troubled time, or a miraculous event that God did. If you don’t have any “stones” today is a good day to stop and lay down a few.
