This week, my husband Philip, and I shared some of our favourite God stories with some friends. We talked back and forth as we recalled the things we had seen and experienced. It was a great night and reminded me of how important it is to tell our story.
It’s why God encouraged people throughout the bible to create memorials. The meaning of the Hebrew word used in scripture for a memorial is “to remember”.
At the foot of Mt. Sinai, Moses built an altar of stones – a memorial to commemorate God’s covenant with Israel (Ex. 12:14). Moses spoke to Israel just before they entered the promised land. He said, “be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” (Deuteronomy. 6:12)
God didn’t want His people to forget Him and all He had done for them.
Joshua also erected a memorial of 12 stones when he finally crossed the Jordan river with the Israelite’s. He instructed the leaders of the tribes to “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan from right where the priests stood and to carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”
The memorial stones were to remind each person’s individual breakthrough experience as they came into the land God had promised. The stones were there every time they passed that way to help them remember to tell their story and kept a clear memory of what God had done for them.
The memorial stones in the bible were also to serve as a basis for sharing faith and to retell their God stories with their children. They were to be a signpost to the world and future generations of God’s faithfulness and goodness.
God wants us to remember and also to recall our story as a way of triggering us to continually renew our relationship with Him and for us to take every opportunity to tell others that He is the God who “parts the waters” and makes a way through.
How often do you think about the memories, the experiences, all the breakthroughs you’ve experienced and thank God?
What are your memorials? Take a moment “to remember” all that God has done. Remember next time when you take a bold step of faith into the unknown, of all the times through the accounts in His word and the memorials in your own life, how He is faithful to get you to the “other side”.
Remember, and keep on telling your “stories” so that you, your loved one’s, and those you meet on the journey are encouraged and won’t forget?
“He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate.”(Psalm 111:4)
Prayer: Lord, please help me not to forget all that you have done for me and that I would tell of your goodness, love and faithfulness to me. In Jesus name, amen.
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