“4 Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the children of Israel, one man from every tribe; 5 and Joshua said to them: “Cross over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, 6 that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ 7 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, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.” 8 And the children of Israel did so, just as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan, as the Lord had spoken to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. 9 Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day.” Joshua 4:1-9 NKJV
God who remeembers,
You know how fickle we are and how quickly we forget the many things You have done for us or we do not even notices. In rereading this passage I noticed something I had read many before and not really thought about. The 12 stone collectors, representing their 12 tribes, were told to walk before the ark of the covenant to find the stones. They really had to trust! They may have prevented the ark carriers from tripping too! So the stones were ready for when every one had passed over. They did not have to wait but saw the pile of stones winessing safe arrival. A memorial.
Sometimes I wish I had kept a diary – not one that listed the necessary actions for the day – one which noted what You were doing Lord, and the wonderful events I witnessed and the blessings I received. Interestingly I do have pebbles from prayer trips. Memorials of a kind.
Those 12 original stones have long gone but the truth they were there remains. The greatest memorials I have Lord are an empty cross and an empty grave. The cross is long gone and the stone that was rolled away who knows where.. But the truth still stands that they were there.. Joshua has long gone – but Jesus? You are with us always.
In Jesus name we give praise, Amen.
Worship Thursday 5th March 2026
Another rousing hymn to lift our souls to praise as we approach the Easter memorial time.
Crown Him with many crowns
the Lamb upon the throne.
Hark How the heav’nly anthems drowns
all music but its own!
Awake, my soul And sing
of Him Who died for thee
and hail Him as thy matchless King
through all eternity
Crown him the Lord of love;
behold his hands and side,
those wounds, yet visible above,
in beauty glorified;
no angel in the sky
can fully bear that sight,
but downward bends his burning eye
at mysteries so bright.
Crown Him the Lord of peace,
Whose power a sceptre sways
from pole to pole, that wars may cease,
and all be prayer and praise.
His reign shall know no end,
and round His pierced feet
fair flowers of paradise extend
their fragrance ever sweet.
Crown him the Lord of years,
the potentate of time,
creator of the rolling spheres
in majesty sublime:
all hail, Redeemer, hail,
for Thou hast died for me;
Thy praise shall never, never fail
through out eternity!
Lyrics: Matthew Bridge