Memorials

Today is Remembrance Sunday.  It's a time when we remember the lives of those lost in conflicts.   It's a time when we are thankful for the freedoms purchased for us. 

Remembering is an important thing. And it's not a new thing. In the bible we read this:

Joshua 4:1-7 And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying: “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.’ ”Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the children of Israel, one man from every tribe; and Joshua said to them: “Cross over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.”

There are lots of instances in the bible where people put a memorial up to remind them of what God had done. In the new testament, Paul reminds us to remember the sacrifice of Jesus through symbols of communion.  

In every instance, it is about a visible reminder of who God is and what he has done for us; what he continues to do for us. 

We so easily forget, but reminding ourselves of God's faithfulness, the miracles we have seen, the answer to prayer we have experienced, the heroes of our faith.... these things help us on our journey in the here and now.   Sometimes we need to make a memorial of our own.  Whether we write something down, take a photo, or do something else, it helps us to look on a memorial and remind ourselves over and over again what God has done before and then look to the moment or look forward knowing that God is unchanging and will continue to do what he says.    Today, I urge you to think about what God has already done for you.  Make yourself a memorial and build up your faith for the things you are experiencing in this moment.  God is the same yesterday, today and forever.  We need to remind ourselves daily of his goodness and greatness to keep our hearts stirred up.

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