Joshua 4:1-3 “And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying:
2 ‘Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, 3and 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.’’”
Twelve men were commanded to take twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan River as a reminder of their experience. God had done something extraordinary for them that they needed to remember.
What are we taking out of our experiences with us into the future? For some, stones are a painful reminder of the past. These might be battle scars from past disappointments or from a previous place of failure. For others, stones are a reminder of God’s faithfulness and God’s power in the midst of a time when we needed His delivering power. Whatever the stone might represent, it can help us in our present and future experiences. They are meant to not only help us as a means of wisdom, but also as a point of ministry to someone else. When we are asked about the “stone” we can testify as to the greatness of God, even if it was a place of failure for us or disappointment. We are where we are right now by the grace of God. Don’t hide your stones. Make sure you have a memorial to share as a testimony of your journey. Someone else is going to pass the same way you did. What can we do to minister encouragement and possibly help someone avoid some of the junk you had to deal with?
In all, may God receive the praise and the glory for His faithfulness to us!