DON’T FORGET TO REMEMBER
Joshua 4:1–7, 20–24
Home. What does that word mean to you? Is it a specific house you go to? In days gone by, people referred to the church they grew up in as their home church. Scattered across the landscape, many churches still celebrate homecoming days with food, worship and stories of how things used to be.
Home can also be more than a physical location. I have discovered that you can feel at home when you are surrounded by people you love. One central theme runs through each of these scenarios: the act of remembering.
Sadly, as we grow older, our memories can begin to fade. How terrible it is to see someone who once had quick wit and razor-sharp intellect be hindered by dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Our memories are gifts from the heavenly Father, and we should be thankful for them. Did you know that there are instances in Scripture where God encourages His people to remember both His goodness and the circumstances He has brought them through?
God calls us to remember what He has done. (1–3)
Joshua is one of the greatest yet most forgotten leaders and godly men in the Bible. He was patient when the other spies disagreed with him about the promised land, and he faithfully followed Moses’ leadership for decades. Although Joshua didn’t realize it, God was preparing him to accomplish the amazing task of leading the people after Moses’ death. A man of great integrity and character, he was the man for the job. God commanded Joshua to take 12 men (one from each tribe), collect 12 stones from the Jordan River and lay them down where they spent the night. God wanted a memorial built. This memorial would serve as a reminder from that day forward to pay tribute to God’s works and mercy.
Memorials help us remember ways God worked on our behalf. (4–7)
Pay attention to how Joshua accurately shared God’s Word with them. It is important to hear God’s Word but once we do, we must share it with great care and compassion. The text reveals that God wants the generations that follow Joshua to always be grounded in what He did for them as He brought them over the Jordan River.
When times are challenging, God wants them to recount His faithfulness and His ability to intervene supernaturally.
We are to remember God’s faithfulness and power. (20–24)
Each of us is building a legacy for others to follow when we die. You may not be able to control what others say about you after you are gone, but you can control how you live and the example you set while you are alive.
When you live a life committed to God, you will have an incredible story that will be told and retold for years to come.
God wants His people to know His power and provision in their lives. You may never stand before an audience or serve on a church ministry staff, but we need to hear your story. Tell us about the times God has done amazing things and miracles in your life, marriage or home. You can point others to Jesus by simply sharing. No one can tell your story better than you.
By Bobby McKay
Pastor of New Liberty Baptist Church in Morton, Mississippi
