Recorded in the book of Joshua, chapters 3 and 4, is the account of Israel crossing the Jordan river during the season when the river was at flood stage. It is an amazing story of the power of God to do miraculous things. One of the interesting pieces to the story is that God instructed the Israelites to select 12 men to each carry a stone on his shoulder out of the Jordan. These stones were then set up in plain view to serve as a reminder to the people of what God had orchestrated for the nation on that day.
Remembering – an important concept that we sometimes overlook. Historically we have made it a point as a country to designate national holidays around events, such as: the Fourth of July, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, and so on. These are for the purpose of remembering – but are often simply used as a time for barbeques and family get togethers. While there is nothing wrong with these gatherings, we have often lost sight of the significance of remembering these special days.
Similarly, in relationships, we often take significant events for granted, such as – when we first began to date our spouse, wedding anniversaries, and other memorable events. We make jokes about how husbands fail to remember anniversaries and birthdays because many times we have lost the art of remembering. But it is not just remembering – it is acknowledging the importance of the event, celebrating the event, relishing the event and the person who gives it significance.
God gave Joshua instructions about the stones because He knows how prone we are to forget things that are important. And when we forget, we make everything common. What do you need to recall this week about your relationship with your spouse? You married that person because they were anything but common – they stood out from all the rest. They were special! Let them know that today. And find new and creative ways to acknowledge their place in your life and significance of your life-long journey together.
Remember!