‘Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land’; for the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.” Joshua 4: 21-24
There are times I feel bombarded with advice about how I should be parenting my children. Everyday we are surrounded by different voices telling us what they should eat, how they should exercise, what they should be studying and what extra -curricular activities will help them reach their full potential. Despite all my attempts to do the right thing, I realised in my own life there was something I was failing to share with my children. There were keys that would set them up for future success that I had overlooked.
In today’s passage the Lord clearly displays to us one of the most important things we can do to ensure our children see good days ahead of them. It’s the power of our story. It’s the word of our testimony. The journey that the Lord has led us on in our daily’s lives and the breakthroughs we have seen are not just for us to benefit from, they actually serve as a springboard for our children to say, “do it again Lord!” Look at how important this was to the Lord. He gave specific instructions to the children of Israel about the story they would share with their children. He knew the power of testimony. He knew that these miraculous acts that he had performed for the people could be forgotten. When trials and tribulations came He was aware of how man’s head can go down and he can find himself wallowing around in the dust thinking that all hope is lost.
The stones were to be set as a visual reminder. They were taken from the very place of deliverance. From the bottom of the Jordan. Where the people themselves had walked to freedom. Each of these people had seen first hand the Lord’s mighty power. If we read carefully as well we see how the Lord not only reminds them of the crossing of the Jordan but also the parting of the Red Sea. It’s as if he is saying remember all of my incredible works. You see what I have done before, I have shown that I will do again. I am faithful. I have rescued you time after time and have stayed true to my word. Believe in me, have confidence in what I say, trust that I will protect you, provide for you, deliver you and bring you into promise.
The work that the Lord has done in our lives is like pure gold and we get to share this with our children. This is treasure that surpasses any earthly knowledge or wisdom. As we bear witness to the Lord’s hand on our lives and we take time to remember where we have come from and how he has brought us through we will find faith arising within us as we recognise his power at work. Not only this, we will also create a platform from which our children can stand boldly in faith and believe with a confident expectation that they can and will receive above all they could ask, hope or imagine.
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Unshakeable Hope Series – Exchange Church Belfast 2021