Memorial Stones: Unity

God is faithful. We are unfaithful. God gives us second chances. We need to obey God's Word. God is gracious (even in our mistakes). We should demonstrate unity.

The sixth set of stones in Joshua was political in nature. The conquest was over. Land had been given on the other side of the Jordan River to a few of the tribes before Israel had entered the Promised Land. It was time for them to return home. As soon as they got over the river, they built an altar of stones. This got the rest of the tribes upset and they came ready to battle. They thought that the altar was a sign that these tribes were already departing from the one true God. The tribes from the other side of the river explained that they had set up those stones as a reminder in generations to come that they are just as much a part of Israel as the other tribes were. They didn't want future generations thinking that they didn't belong to Israel. They wanted a reminder that they were one people, one nation.

I feel like I need to be careful with this set of stones, because this was a political monument, not necessarily a theological one. But I do feel like there can be some (loose) connections.

Within the local church, we need to be one body. At the church I grew up in, after communion we would always circle the auditorium, hold hands, and sing "Blessed Be the Tie That Binds". As we sang and looked around at one another, we were reminded that there were all part of the family of God We might not always agree, or get along, but we were one body. It was always a time for us forget what differences we have and celebrate that Christ died for all of us and through Him we have redemption.

Have you ever visited a church far from your own home church, maybe even in a different country, and felt that same bond? It's incredible! After my senior year in high school, we went on a mission trip to Mexico City. The youth kids there didn't have a lot in common with us, our language barrier made conversation interesting as we stumbled through our poor Spanish and they stumbled through their poor English, yet there was a bond that only existed because we shared the same Father. We had all been saved by the blood of Christ and that was enough. That is the unity we find in the Gospel.

I want to issue a warning though. Not everyone who claims to be a Christian is one, and not everyone who teaches in the name of Jesus knows who He is. There are many false teachers, false doctrines, and we need to be able to draw distinct lines between truth and lies. We need to stand firm on the Bible, and not compromise for the sake of unity.

Just like the tribes were one nation, we are one body. But when we talk about unity we need to make sure that we are unifying the body and not trying to unify with the world. There is no accord between Christ and Satan.

Memorial Stones: God's Graciousness

The progression of the memorial stones in Joshua is amazing to me. The first reminds us of God's faithfulness, that God keeps His promises. But the second reminds us of our own unfaithfulness. The third is about second chances after we're unfaithful. While the fourth reminds us to be obedient to God's Word. When we are then we shouldn't have too many of the the second and third memorial stones behind us. (Wouldn't that be lovely?) The fifth is all about God's graciousness - particularly when we get in situations we shouldn't be in.

See Joshua and Israel had been tricked. They were told to wipe out all the people in the land of Canaan. The Gibeonites knew that was coming, and so they sent a delegation who acted as if they had been on a long journey. They met up with Joshua and the Israelites and told them that they weren't part of the land of Canaan and that they wanted to make a peace treaty with Israel. And Israel fell for it. Maybe they were tired of fighting. Maybe they just didn't think that anyone would lie to them. Maybe they felt like they were too busy to stop and ask God first. Whatever the reason, they made the covenant.

When the other kings in the area heard of the covenant between Gibeon and Israel they gathered forces together and attacked Gibeon. The men of Gibeon immediately sent for Joshua, and with the new treaty between them in place, Israel went up to defend Gibeon. During the battle, God caused the sun to stand still at the plea of Joshua. Joshua 10:14 says, "There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord heeded the voice of a man, for the Lord fought for Israel." After their victory, they put the bodies of the dead kings in a cave where they had hidden and Joshua stacked stones at the entrance of the cave.

"[T]he Lord fought for Israel." I just love that phrase. I love knowing that the Lord fights for His people. He fights for His Church. He fights for His Bride. That just gives me shivers! But the thing I love most about that, is that God fought for Israel to protect a covenant that they should have never made in the first place. He could have sat back and watched them try to do it on their own - after all, they were in that position because they rushed ahead of Him anyway. But He fought for them in His graciousness. They didn't deserve it, yet He was there.

I don't know about you, but I can be like the Israelites. I can rush ahead of God, make decisions without consulting Him, and end up fighting a battle that never should have been mine to face. I'm so glad that when I do, He graciously fights for me - not with me - for me! I wouldn't want to do it on my own.

Maybe you rushed into a relationship that has turned out to be a battle. God can fight for you. Maybe you dug yourself a little too deep in your enthusiasm to serve. God can fight for you. Maybe you made a financial decision that has become a nightmare. God can fight for you. Whatever situation you're in that you know good and well is your own fault, God can fight for you.

I want to point out one thing though. God fought for Israel, but they were still in the midst of the battle. He did miracles for them, but they still picked up their swords. God may do miracles, He may fight, but we shouldn't just sit back and do nothing. If your finances are a mess, God may provide in ways you never expected, but you should learn how to make better decisions in the future. God can change a heart in a marriage, but you better make sure that your own heart is willing to change. God may give you the wisdom and energy you need to power through the busyness you're drowning in, but that doesn't mean you should continue to overwhelm yourself.

God helps us and fights for us because He is gracious. Yet He uses those times as opportunities for us to learn and grow.

Memorial Stones: Obedience to God's Word

When Joshua placed the fourth set of memorial stones, Ai had just been defeated. Joshua built an altar on Mount Ebal, and they offered sacrifices to the Lord. On this altar (made of uncut stones), Joshua wrote a copy of the law. It was at this point that Israel gathered on two mountains (Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal) and exchanged the blessings and curses that Moses had commanded them to do before they entered the promised land. In Deuteronomy 27:26 this ceremony ends with these words, "'Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'"

We can have Scripture cross-stitched in beautiful designs all over our house. We can post beautifully scripted verses on the internet. We can put verses on our clothing, our purses, our jackets, our coffee mugs. We can have ten Bibles, Bible apps, devotion books, commentaries, and reference books all over our house. But if we don't actually follow the commands of God, it's worthless. Jesus said it Himself in John 14:15, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." We can't claim we love Jesus if we don't live by His words. It doesn't work. Instead we show Him contempt when we refuse to obey Him.

In a later letter, John goes a little further. We don't only show love for God by obeying His commandments, but we show love for others. 1 John 5:2-3 says,  "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome." When asked which of the commandments was the greatest, Jesus responded that it was to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and to love others as yourself. Obedience shows love.

While not everyone in the world has access to a Bible, there are more options than there have ever been before. In America, most Christian families each own their own Bible - most likely several. We have a Bible app on every device we own. There are websites that we can go to and read the Word in multiple versions with commentary. We have so many ways to read God's Word. That makes it even more sad when we don't obey. It's right there, all around us, but we act like we don't care.

I think because we have so much access to the Word, we don't internalize as we should. Psalm 119:11 says, "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." It's important to have God's Word in our hearts, in our minds, because it helps us to avoid sin. I know that when I face temptation it's a lot easier to combat it when a verse comes to mind. We can post Scriptures everywhere, but unless they're in our minds and written on our hearts (Heb. 8:10) it's so easy to ignore them.

The progression of these memorial stones is amazing. First God is faithful - always. Second, we are not faithful. We will sin. Third, God gives us second chances. Fourth, we keep God's Word in our hearts so that we can be obedient to Him. When we manage to obey His commands, then we don't have to suffer through the memorial stones of unfaithfulness or be given a second chance.

I challenge you to add verse memorization to your quiet time. It can be a verse that stood out to you that day during your Bible reading. You can look up verses on a topic (maybe something that you're struggling with right now) and memorize those. You can try to memorize a psalm or a chapter that means something to you. You can even attempt to memorize an entire book of the Bible. Whatever you attempt, I know that God will bless it and use it in amazing ways.

Memorial Stones: Second chances

The first memorial stones in the book of Joshua were reminding the Israelites of God's faithfulness while the second reminded them of their own unfaithfulness and the consequences that follow. The third reminded them of second chances.

After the defeat that Israel experienced at Ai because of sin in the camp, it was time to go against Ai again. This time Joshua sought the Lord's plan before attacking. Israel was successful and this time followed God's plans. Joshua set up a heap of stones over the body of the defeated king as a memorial. Israel had been given a second chance to defeat Ai. The first time sin had caused them to fail, but they succeeded during the second time because they had followed God's will for them.

If we look back at those memorial stones that remind us of our unfaithfulness, I'm guessing that nearby there is a memorial stone of second chances.

When we sin and repent, we will be given a second chance. Sometimes it's a second chance to avoid the temptation that ensnared us in the first place. Sometimes it's a second chance to repair damaged relationships. It could be a second chance to make amends in some way. Perhaps we'll have a second chance to do what we ought to have done in the first place. Whatever the opportunity we get, I'm so thankful that God doesn't just give up on us when we fail, but gives us the chance to make it right.

Some commentators believe that part of Israel's defeat at Ai was due to Joshua not seeking the Lord's will in the first place. The first attack, he sent spies, but there's no indication that he inquired of the Lord. The second attack, Joshua received a battle plan from the Lord and followed that in his attack. Joshua was given a second chance to get the correct battle plan. Sometimes that's how we get a second chance, too. We plunge into a situation thinking we have it under control only to fail. In my case, I generally find that I fail spectacularly. Then we regroup, we seek God's help, and we get a second chance to do it the way He wanted us to in the beginning. When we refuse to go where God is leading, He often gives us a second chance to go down the path He had intended for us to travel.

We will be unfaithful to God - whether because of sin or because we choose to do things our own way. But God gives second (and third and fourth) chances. When we look back on our failures, we can also see where He allowed us the opportunity to do it again and get it right.

Memorial Stones: Unfaithfulness & Consequences

While the first "heap of stones" in Joshua was to remind Israel of God's faithfulness, the second was to remind them of their own unfaithfulness and the consequences that arise from it. The Israelites had just defeated Jericho and were feeling pretty confident. So their defeat at Ai came as a shock. When Joshua asked the Lord why they had been defeated, he found that the camp had been defiled. Eventually, it was discovered the Achan had been tempted by the wealth of Jericho and had decided to take some for himself - something that God had specifically told them not to do. Achan was sentenced to death and a heap of stones was placed on top to remind Israel to remain faithful to God.

I have memorial stones set up in my mind at the places where I've experienced God's discipline for several reasons. The first is clear. It reminds me not to go down that road again. I can look back and see the pain I was in, the distance I was from God, the problems that I caused, and know that I never want to experience that again.

Second, those stones remind me to tell others about the experience. Not to glorify my sin, but to teach others not to go down that path. I know that some will have to experience it for themselves, but hopefully there are people who hear my story and change their own course. One of those experiences that  I've spoken of before was a time that I struggled with unforgiveness. I had been hurt - repeatedly. I knew that the ones who had done it would never apologize, most likely they didn't even realize what they had done. But I held onto every offense. I lived it over and over and over again. One day I had to admit that I had grown bitter. God reminded me of how much He had forgiven me. How could I not forgive them for the little they had done to me? It wasn't easy. I had grown used to wallowing in self-pity as I replayed all that had been done to me. I sort of enjoyed it in a sick and twisted way. Whenever I started rehashing it all over again, God would nudge me, and I would begin to pray. I would pray that He would help me not only forgive, but forget. I prayed that He would forgive me again. And (perhaps hardest of all) I would pray for the people that hurt me. Today, most of those hurts are just vague, fuzzy memories and many of them, I can't even recall at all. I don't want others to have to suffer through the bitterness that I did if I can help them.

Third it helps to keep me from getting arrogant. It's so easy to find fault in others, and so easy to overlook or excuse my own faults. If I find myself feeling pretty proud of my own "goodness", all it takes is a glance over to the memorial stones of unfaithfulness to remind me that any good in me is from Him. On my own, I'm just a sinner. With Him, I'm a daughter of the King. That's humbling, and helps me to keep my focus on God instead of me.

Just to be clear, these are memorial stones that I glance at on occasion when I need the reminder. I don't go sit at them. I don't set up camp in these places. Nothing good comes from that. Staying long in these places can make one feel like they are incapable of change, and then they find themselves falling again. That guilt that creeps in and tells us that God can't possibly love us because of this is a lie. None of us are "worthy" of God's love, but He gives it anyway. None of us "deserve" to be forgiven, but He offers it freely. He doesn't want us to stay in those places. He wants us to learn and grow. He wants us to move on.

We fail, we fall, but God is faithful. We can look back on our times where we weren't faithful to learn, to teach others and to remain humble. But even in those places, God is faithful. I'm so glad that He is always faithful and that His faithfulness doesn't rely on mine.

Memorial Stones: God's Faithfulness

I'm reading through the book of Joshua right now. There are seven times where Joshua sets up stones as a memorial of an event. Each one has it's own meaning, but they all serve the same purpose. "And he said to the people of Israel, "When your children ask their fathers in times to come, 'What do these stones mean?' then you shall let your children know,..." (Joshua 4:21-22a) We do the same thing today. Washington DC is full of memorials so that when we take our children and they ask, "What does this one mean?", we can tell them about Abraham Lincoln or World War II or countless other events or leaders. My children ask me every time they see a flag at half mast, "What happened? What does this mean?" Memorials are a great way to remind future generations of past events.

Joshua's first memorial was placed after the nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan River. (By the way, it's only after Israel crossed the Jordan that they are referred to as a 'nation' in the Bible.) The river was at flood stage, yet God provided a way for them to cross. He stopped the flow of the water so that they could safely enter the Promised Land - just as He had allowed their parents to cross the Red Sea a generation ago as He led them out of Egypt. Joshua wanted them to tell their children, "...Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.' 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, so that all the people of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever." (Joshua 4:22b-24)

Joshua wanted the memorial to teach the future generations that God was faithful. God kept His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God freed them from Egypt "with a mighty hand and outstretched arm". God led them through the wilderness, remaining faithful to them when they were faithless. And now God had brought them over into the land that He was giving them.

I don't think that it was coincidence that this memorial was set up before Israel fought their first battle. Memorials not only point us to the past, but give us hope for the future. As Israel went forward into battle, they were aware of what God had already done for them. And if God had led them safely to this point, then surely He would be faithful to the end. They had just seen for themselves what God was capable of doing and they had heard of the things that God had done in the past. All that remained was to see how God would fight for them in the future.

It goes beyond just ourselves and our children though. Joshua said, ". . . so that all the people of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, . . . " They would hear what had been done, and know more about the one true God because of it. And through that, maybe they would want to worship this God, too.

At a ladies event one time, the speaker talked about this passage and setting up our own memorial stones. She suggested creating a rock garden with a new rock for each time God was so apparent that we had to give all the honor to Him. She said that you could even write on the rock to remember what it stood for. Or get a jar to fill with small rocks. The purpose of these was the same as Joshua's, so that when our children ask about it (or neighbors or family or friends) we could say, "Look what God has done! He is faithful!" I don't think it has to be rocks for that matter. Anything physical that can point to God's faithfulness would work: a collection, a journal, Bible notes, scrapbook, quilts - whatever you feel led to do.

When has God shown His faithfulness to you (perhaps even when you weren't being faithful to Him)? What have you done or can you do to remind yourself about that time? What can you do to make sure that others know about it?

Life is Precious

It's an overused saying. It's nearly lost all meaning.Usually you hear it when someone passes away unexpectedly - life is precious. But do we believe it? I feel like it takes those tragedies for us to remember just how precious - and fragile - life is.

I'm no different from everyone else. The reason why this is on my mind is because someone I knew suddenly passed away this week. She had longed for a baby and been told that she couldn't have one, but miraculously, she gave birth to a healthy baby. She had five days with her precious new life before she lost her own. Life is precious. Her life was precious. Her baby's life is precious.

I get so busy. Life moves so fast. I look at my children and can literally see time passing. Calendar pages turn. Each day is ticked off. We anticipate certain dates and countdown to them only for them to pass quickly by and fade into the past. I can almost sigh with King Solomon as he says, "Vanity of vanities! All is vanity."

If life is precious, what can we do that matters in the world? Life is vapor (James 4:14). It's here and it's gone. We don't know what tomorrow brings. Sometimes it can feel that we struggle and work for nothing. What is the point? Solomon summed it up nicely in Ecclesiastes 12:13. "The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man."

1 - "Fear God". God is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb.13:8) He is the all-knowing, all-powerful, sovereign God of the universe. He alone is worthy of praise. He executes justice and yet is merciful. He protects and provides. God is to be feared as the ultimate Judge, and He is to be respected as the King of kings. When we place God where He ought to be placed, when we revere and honor Him, when we allow Him to be in charge, life looks different. It's not that it's easier, or that we never question why certain things happen, but we can trust that He's control and that He has a plan and a purpose - even if we never see it.

2 - "Keep his commandments". There are many commandments: honor your father and mother, remember the Sabbath and keep it holy, you shall not bear false witness - and those are just part of the ten commandments. What about the other commandments? Which ones were for Israel and which apply to the church? Or are they all for both? Every commandment falls under the "Great Commandment". Lawyers asked Jesus which commandment was the greatest commandment. Matthew 22:37-40 says, "And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Love God with every part of your being and you'll live your life in obedience to His Word. Love others as yourself, and you'll follow the rest of the laws. Loving God you'll put Him first, you'll want to please Him. Loving others you'll put their interests above your own. Those two things could change the world.

That's all. That's what matters. If we fear God and keep His commands, we'd spread the Gospel which can change lives. We'd love others so strongly that the world couldn't help but see Him. We'd be bold in the Spirit. We'd be a people of prayer because we'd finally understand the power that is found when go to the Almighty God with our requests. We'd want to know His Word so that we could follow Him. The church would look so different - I would look so different. 

Life is precious. Fear God. Keep His commandments. That is the whole duty of man.