Commemorate the Great Things God Does For Us - Joshua 1-5

 Joshua 4:1-3 (ESV)

When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests' feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.’”

We ought to commemorate the great things that God does for us.   In the above text we read about the instructions God gave Joshua after the nation crossed over the Jordan, on dry ground.  Just has He had done with Moses, now God had done with Joshua.  God parted the Red Sea and now dried up the Jordan River.   By doing so God did three things:

1. He melted the heart of the people of the land to know that God was on the march (Joshua 5:1). 

2. He established Joshua’s leadership in front of the people.  They now knew that Joshua had the same authority as Moses (Joshua 4:14).  

3. He established a memorial for all the people to remember the great thing God did that day for them (Joshua 4:1-13).  

This memorial would be a sign for them for many generations of the great things that God did for them and would do for them.  We are to memorialize God’s good works in our midst.   Note:

Psalms 119:27 (ESV)

27 Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works.

We are to meditate upon God’s wondrous works. But, the only way we can do that is if we see the wonderful works that God can do and is doing.  When Elisha’s servant was afraid and thought they were left alone, here is what Elisha prayed:

2 Kings 6:16-17 (ESV)

He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

When King Saul was afraid of the opposition, Samuel stated:

1 Samuel 12:16 (ESV)

Now therefore stand still and see this great thing that the LORD will do before your eyes.

The twelve stones the nation took out of the Jordan River would be a physical commemoration of what God had done for them.  They were to look back at this over the next years to remember that God saves by His great strength.   We often forget the things God does for us.  We ought to have a list of every prayer God answered and every miracle He preformed for us during our walk with Him.   That is one sure what to remember and to trust God for future battles we face.  When you are worried about the foe in front of you, remember the fight God won behind you.