Memorials

When all the people had crossed the Jordan, God had Joshua get 12 men to gather stones from the middle of the river to take with them when they camped that night. These stones were to be built into a memorial so the people had something physical to remind them about the wonders God had done that day. When their children saw these stones and ask what they mean, the people were to tell them of the time God stopped the waters of the Jordan river. (Joshua 4)

We too, put up stones as memorials. Cemetaries are full of them. Stones put up where we bury our loved ones and something is usually etched on these stones in order to remind us what they meant to us. Just as the Isrealites were told to remember and pass along to future generations what God did, we are to pass along to future generations what God has done for us--and we have memorials to remind us.

I recently went on a couple of memorial tours with my grandparents. The days were filled with cemetary tours (complete with my taking photos), but we did more than just look at peices of stone. At each stop, my grandparents would tell me stories of those whose names we read on the stones. "Grandmother was a lady. She always sat up straight and only crossed her legs at the ankles. The only negative comment I ever heard her make was if she was really frustrated, she would sometimes say 'well dog my cats." Not only were there scores of stories of people, which I only pray I remember long enough to write some of them down (really need to go on another trip so I can get these down), but there were stories of places. "I used to ride my bike down this road to school. My old girlfriend lived there. That's where my grandmother went to church." My grandparents made sure I knew that our family was made of believers. They weren't all happy stories, but they reminded me how Christ was always there for them. "That's the graves of your great-grandmother's sisters. They were killed in the tornado in 1936. That's where my brother and his fiance' died the day before they got married."

We also have memorials in our spiritual lives. People, places, dates, and things that remind us of significant events on our Spiritual journey. They aren't always happy memories, but they tell of a time when we experienced the move of God. I was going to list mine here, but I think that's another post. What's the purpose of these memorials? Theres two: 1) to remind you what God did for you and 2) so when your children ask "what's that?," you can tell them what God did for you and they too will know God is real and His hand is mighty.