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Read: Joshua 4:19-24
Listen: Joshua 4

He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’” Joshua 4:21-22

Joshua placed twelve stones in the spot where the ark of the covenant stood. To Israel, these stones would represent the crossing of the Jordan River and how God had moved among them that day. Joshua tells Israel that generations after them will ask what these stones mean. He says they are a physical reminder of God’s faithfulness to them and God’s promise to remain faithful in the future.

Remembering God’s work in the past is what fuels our faithfulness in the present. As Israel’s exodus from slavery in Egypt is the central story for God’s people in the Old Testament, so the good news of Jesus is central to our story today. The cross is our remembrance stone. We know that all creation bears the weight of sin and that the punishment is death. But the cross reminds us of God’s faithful, never-ending love. Jesus died in our place. All who have put their trust in Jesus have a restored relationship with God and the promise of eternal life. As we remember the Gospel, we also remember the way Jesus interacts with our story of brokenness. How he frees us from addiction. How he heals our relational wounds. How he takes our shame. Like Israel, remembering these moments can fuel our faith in difficult seasons.

TODAY: Make a list of the ways God has provided for you. Take time to thank him for his work. If you haven’t accepted God’s gift of relationship, now is the perfect opportunity! Ask Jesus to be Lord of your life and restore your relationship with him.