Altar

"Now when all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, 'Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe, and command them, saying, "Take up for yourselves twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests" feet are standing firm, and carry them over with you and lay them down in the lodging place where you will lodge tonight.' So Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the sons of Israel, one man from each tribe; and Joshua said to them, 'Cross again to the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel. Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, "What do these stones mean to you?" then you shall say to them, "Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off." So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.' Thus the sons of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, just as the Lord spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel; and they carried them over with them to the lodging place and put them down there. Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan at the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing, and they are there to this day." -Joshua 4.1-9

Israel has entered the land under the leadership of Joshua, but it is only because God has brought them to this point. As a reminder of what God has done the people take 12 stones from the middle of the Jordan where the priests stood on dry ground and when they camp at Gilgal that night, Joshua builds an altar with the stones. The altar is there in the Promised land to mark where the people crossed and to serve as a reminder that God fulfilled His promise.

This isn't the first time that an altar has been built to serve as a reminder of what God has done. Each altar marked a different event. I had a professor in college who built a stone altar in his yard, and every time God did something for his family he would add a stone to it. He has a permanent reminder of the blessings God has poured out on his family.

Men, what do you do to remember what God has done? Do you write it down? Do you tell stories? Do you have a physical symbol? The stories of God's faithfulness and provision must be shared and passed down. What is there for those who come after us to ask about? The stones were set up for all to see, and when new generations saw them they would ask, "What is this for?" Is there anything like this in your life?

Let us remember the things that God has done. Let us have things set up that become conversation starters to share the ways He has worked. Let us have altars that declare the praise of God.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor