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Joshua Chapter 4 (ESV)

⁸ And the people of Israel did just as Joshua commanded and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, just as the Lord told Joshua. And they carried them over with them to the place where they lodged and laid them down there. ⁹ And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant had stood; and they are there to this day. ¹⁰ For the priests bearing the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to tell the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua.

The people passed over in haste. ¹¹ And when all the people had finished passing over, the ark of the Lord and the priests passed over before the people. ¹² The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh passed over armed before the people of Israel, as Moses had told them. ¹³ About 40,000 ready for war passed over before the Lord for battle, to the plains of Jericho. ¹⁴ On that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they stood in awe of him just as they had stood in awe of Moses, all the days of his life.

¹⁵ And the Lord said to Joshua, ¹⁶ “Command the priests bearing the ark of the testimony to come up out of the Jordan.” ¹⁷ So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.” ¹⁸ And when the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord came up from the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up on dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks, as before.

¹⁹ The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they encamped at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. ²⁰ And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal. ²¹ And he said to the people of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’²² then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.’ ²³ For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, ²⁴ so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”

 

REFLECTION:

• The heap that Joshua formed from the 12 stones, representing the 12 tribes, were taken from the Jordan River and placed on the west bank. This was to be a memorial to future generations. In later days when the children asked what these stones meant, the parents were to tell the story of how God caused the river to stop flowing and allowed the people to cross the river (v21-23). They were also to give glory to God (v24), and remind future generations that such “remembering” called for appropriate actions of love and obedience to such a great living God.
• God knows it is easy for the Israelites and us to forget His almighty power and His grace once we settle into a comfortable and self-sufficient state.
• Take a moment to reflect on God’s grace and what the Lord has done for you in the past week, month, year. Record what was brought to your mind in this remembering and reflection. Recognizing and remembering God’s grace motivates us to serve Him and love Him more.

 

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, whenever I remember Your unfailing love and Your ceaseless mercy, my heart fills with renewed hope. Every morning as I wake, whether I see sunlight filling the room or hear the rain tapping on the window, each day is a fresh start for me. You give me new breath of life, and You inspire me with new understanding of how to live. You renew my being, guiding me on the path of righteousness, making me increasingly humble and gentle, resembling my Lord Jesus Christ. You also grant me the eternal hope that fills my spirit and fills my heart with anticipation for the new heaven and new earth. Your faithfulness is vast, and Your love is profound! In my heart, I proclaim that You are my strength and my portion. Your grace and love surround me every moment, and I will dwell in Your presence all the days of my life, finding refuge in You, so that I may proclaim all Your deeds. Yet, I am forgetful. I ask that You awaken my soul, so that in the quiet passing of each day and amidst the changes of daily life, I will not forget Your grace. I will find a beautiful stone to place on my desk, as a reminder of Your grace, so that I may speak to others about the living river of water You have given us, flowing to eternal life. Amen!

 

HYMN:

Great Is Thy Faithfulness – youtu.be/ErwiBz1QA4o