Stones of Remembrance

There are many references in the Scriptures about stones. There are burial stones, stone tablets, stones used for stoning people to death, and more. But the ones that impact me most are the ones mentioned in Joshua 4: the stones of remembrance.

When Joshua had become the leader of the Israelites, they were at the end of their wilderness journey and about to cross over the Jordan River into the Promised Land. Much like their crossing of the Red Sea, God opened the waters of the Jordan so the entire tribe could cross over on dry land. There were no soldiers chasing them at this point and no armies were killed by the crashing waters after their crossing. This was a quiet, peaceful journey, but the Word of the Lord had to be followed explicitly.

When the priest carrying the Ark of the Covenant touched the waters, they parted. Then the priests stood in the middle of the dry riverbed until all the people had crossed. Joshua then commanded that each tribe appoint a man to carry a stone from the riverbed to be placed in a commemorative place. Also, he placed twelve stones into the midst of the Jordan where the feet of the priests had stood. So there were really two piles of stones that were to be reminders of what had happened there.

The stones that they had brought from the river were actually carried eight miles to the city of Gilgal, where a permanent place of remembrance was set up. This is what the Lord said to tell the Israelites: “…this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord when it crossed over the Jordan. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.” (Joshua 4:6-7, NKJV)

What are we leaving to our children as stones of remembrance that tell of our lives? You may think that leaving money and houses and trinkets are what matter most, but those won’t last. It won’t make an impact when our children think about it. The real stones they need are the foundational stones of a fundamental believer’s life. Give them the memories of a father or mother or grandma or grandpa who lived a Christ-centered, unselfish life, giving of themselves in the service of their King, Jesus. Like those old stones that stood so many years ago, your life will be long remembered when you concentrate on godly character and living.

Don’t waste your time gathering earthly possessions for the journey ahead. Plant your feet on the real Cornerstone, Jesus, and build from there. You’ll be placing your foundation on the most secure future and leaving a legacy that’s rock solid!