Tell the Story

Joshua 4:3,6 (NIV)

³ “…and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”…⁶ “to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children as you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ ⁷ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”

Observation:

            God reveals to Israel that Joshua has the authority to lead. Moses has departed from the people, and now Israel has come to the banks of the flooded Jordan. God will now prove his leader of the people by confirming him in a very similar way to how Moses was confirmed. Moses stood before the Red Sea; in his case, Aaron placed his staff in the water and the waters parted. This time it will be the Ark of the Covenant.

            Then the Lord instructs the Joshua to have 12 men, one from each tribe, to pick up a large stone in order to build a memorial for the people. God does not want the generations to forget what he has done for them. The people of Israel were to tell the stories for generations to come. Stories are the testimony of God’s dealing with his people on behalf of humanity. To this very day the story of Israel’s crossing of the Jordan continues to be told, continues to amaze, and reminds of our own experiences with God.

Application:

            When I was a child, I attended the Troy Church of the Nazarene. It was a church plant and the congregation was small. My parents felt called to attend the church, which ultimately became the story of answered prayer for that congregation. It was a church full of stories of faith and faithfulness. They were a people of hope, and radical obedience to God. One day the people had gathered to put the roof on their new building. As they were working, the storm clouds rolled in. The rain was coming and the roof was not finished.

            The people began to pray. They continued working, as the weather grew ever closer. As they worked, they looked up to see the rain stop on the opposite side of the street. There the rain fell, but on this group of faith servants, the rain did not fall. When they laid the last shingle and cleaned up the equipment, the rain crossed the highway to test their handy work.

            The Lord was faithful to answer their prayer. I have heard the story hundreds of times. Today, there are none in the fellowship of the church to tell the story. For none who were there at the time remain. They have grown, moved, or passed away. Yet, the story of God’s faithful hand is now being shared once again. As you read this, the roof has become a memorial of God’s mighty power.

            What story do you have of God’s mighty work? What memorial needs to be told to the next generation? One of our favorite things to do is take our children to the places where we grew up. We show them our homes; we tell them the same stories over and over. Honestly, they probably get tired of them. Nevertheless, they will remember. One day they may have children and pass by a place like our Olivet Nazarene University, and share the story of how grandma and grandpa met and new instantly that God had brought them together. Stories, they need to be told, repeatedly, especially the stories of God’s watchfulness, protection, correction, and love.

Prayer:

            O Lord, you are the maker of all things. You are above all creation. You have entered into the cause of humanity so that we might be saved from our own destruction. Help me to meditate on your Word day and night. Remind me of your activity throughout history, and throughout my life. Help me to share with the next generation, the things that are important for them to know. Forgive me for the times when I have failed to make note of your gentle touch or you mighty work. May I always declare the mighty works of my God and Savior.