Remembering God's Promises - Lessons from Joshua

[James Nored]

One of our great fallacies as humans is that we forget. Our memories become faulty, and we may misremeber details.

In college my wife and I became really close with a young couple that we knew from choir. We became such good friends that, though they were several years younger than us, it seemed like they had always been in choir with us. For instance, we kept inserting them back into our choir trip to New York, even though they could not possibly have been there then. We continue to joke with them about the good New York trip that we took together.

Because of our faulty memories, we may forget something far more important--what God has done for us.

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In the book of Joshua, God directs Joshua to lead the Israelites across the Jordan River into the Promised Land of Canann, and as he does so, he embeds in his instructions things to make sure that Israel does not forget this great event. It is almost as if God knows that the people will forget.

That had been the case already for the previous generation, who, after witnessing God part the Red Sea and destroying the Egyptian armies, they quickly forgot God and bowed down to a golden calf. 

Now, God is going to have the Israelites carry the ark across the Jordan River, and as they do so, the waters will part at their feet--an act amazingly similar to that of the parting of the Red Sea with Moses. In this, God instructs Joshua to:

• Have one person from each of the twelve tribes take a stone from the middle of the river bed where the ark has gone and take this to their camp and set it up as a lasting memory
• Take another set of stones and set it up at the water's edge where the ark had crossed as another memorial
• Set up stones in the city of Gilgal as a memorial

There are two more acts that God instructs Joshua to take that would have been memorable. First, each of the Israelite men is to be circumcised. The place that this happened was called Gibeath Haaraloth, which means, "hill of foreskins." Interesting name. The Israelites stayed there until everyone healed. That would have been a memorable event. 

Second, they are to take the Passover. From this, God makes clear that he wants the generations following Joshua to remember this event as well. The stones are set up so that when their children see them and ask about them, they can tell the story of the crossing of the Jordan and entering into the Promised Land.

The crossing of the Jordan and entering into the Promised Land was an act of grace with God fulfilling his promise. The setting of the stones, circumcision, and taking of the Passover were acts of Israel in response to God's grace and promise keeping.

In a somewhat parallel way, baptism and the Lord's Supper are a response to God's ultimate gracious act of salvation of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection for us. They are to help us remember what GOD has done for us. (Do this in remembrance of me"--LUke 22:19) These acts should cause our children to ask why we are doing this--and we have a chance to tell our own story of God's gracious act towards us.

One more thing. We should remember that God's memory is perfect--except for our sins. He promises us that he will forgive us and remember our sins no more. That is part of the greatStory of Redemption!

How do you remember what God has done in your life? How can we better help one another remember? How can we better remember in our families?

[James Nored]

Jerri Sisk Harrington, you mentioned in your comment about looking back in your prayer journal and seeing how God had answered prayers. I was reminded of my friend Donna Cook's testimonial video on the Gift of Prayer, in which she also talks of writing down her prayer requests in a prayer journal and keeping track of God's "answers." I am in her book many times, as she has prayed for me and so many others.

Thought you would enjoy this video. www.YourSpiritualGifts.com

[Jerri Harrington]

I remember what God has done for me when I read back over prayer journals. He always answers our prayers,in His good and perfect ways, much better than we could ask or imagine!

[James Nored]

Hi Jayaraj! Those are beautfiul words that you write about the Ebenezer stone being a reminder of God's help and triumph. I may work that into Sunday's sermon. Thank you!!

[Jayaraj.E]

On the battlefield, where years ago they had suffered defeat, Israel pled with God for help, and he granted them a miraculous victory. Their priest and leader, Samuel, set up a monument to remind them of God's strong hand in their triumph, and Samuel named the pillar Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far the LORD has helped us" (1 Sam. 7:12). This stone pillar called God's people to recall, and recall often, the time when God turned events from bad to blessed

Each time an Israelite saw the Ebenezer stone, they remembered God's help in the past, God's help relied on today, and God's help assured for tomorrow. The Ebenezer was a "picture" of the Lord's readiness to hear their cries and save them, and it served to remind them where to turn for their strength and power—and whom to thank for their deliverance.

i like most your words above ...In a somewhat parallel way, baptism and the Lord's Supper are a response to God's ultimate gracious act of salvation of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection for us. They are to help us remember what GOD has done for us. (Do this in remembrance of me"--LUke 22:19) These acts should cause our children to ask why we are doing this--and we have a chance to tell our own story of God's gracious act towards us.. thank you for sharing this .

[James Nored]

Very true, David. Memory of mistakes and regrets from the past can indeed drag us down.

[David Mitchell Smith]

Memory is so important until it comes to remembering our own faults and mistakes.  They can drag us down into the depths of despair unless we remember that God has forgotten them!