A year ago, I did a blog on Spiritual Markers – and since I need reminding of things (often), I will venture forth with the thought that you might, also, need reminding.
At the end of that blog, I left you with a challenge – and I said I would check back in to help you do something meaningful with my challenge. OK, I am re-sharing the core of that blog message. Adding a bit to it. And then checking in with you – just sayin’.
“Spiritual memory is crucial in the Christian life.” Quote from Henry Blackaby. Makes my heart sing.
Why? As I guide people to capture the essence of their life-story in a photobook, I am convinced that one of the most important parts I can encourage them to include is looking at the key crossroads in their lives. Their milestones and highlights. What shaped them? Their character? Their beliefs?
Blackaby stated that without the help of these markers, you will lose your spiritual bearings. Sounds serious, doesn’t it? After reading his shared insight, I believe he is correct.
Blackaby illustrated this by taking us to Joshua, chapters 3 & 4. If you remember, the Israelites had a “tumultuous pilgrimage” exiting slavery in Egypt and heading for the “land of milk & honey” which the Lord promised them. They doubted God was powerful enough. It cost them 40 years of wandering in the wilderness before they finally accepted His power was true. Then, they got to their destination.
At that point, at the border of the Jordan River, Joshua was leading them – and he was following all that the Lord directed him to do. They had finally reached the “promised land”…BUT…God knew the Israelites would face intimidating enemies as they took over the land. They would need a reminder that He was powerful enough to protect them. A spiritual marker.
This devotional drove me to read all of chapters 3 & 4 — the Israelites crossing the Jordan River. I promise it is worth your while to get the full picture and details. Joshua told the people to “consecrate” or prepare themselves for the day of the crossing and then he followed the Lord’s specific instructions in guiding the crossing. It would be an amazing day:
- Priests carrying the ark of the covenant went first to the edge of the water
- As the Lord had said, as soon as the priests stepped into the Jordan River, “its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap”
- And it DID – even though the Jordan was at flood stage
- Water upstream stopped flowing, piled up in a heap at a town a great distance away
- Water flowing downstream was completely cut off
- The people crossed – all in one day – it’s estimated there were up to 2 million people
- The priests stood “firm on dry ground” and the people crossed on “dry ground” – pretty amazing given it was a river just moments before – and flowing at flood stage
Then came the point Blackaby was making. The Israelites needed a spiritual marker because they had hard times coming and might be tempted to think they made a mistake entering the promised land. For this reason God instructed them to build a monument which would remind them of God’s awesome power. This marker would give them confidence that they could trust the Lord.
Just to show how concerned they were about their safety, I noted that they followed Moses’ instructions to Joshua. The first to cross (as the priests stood in the middle of the dry ground) were about 40,000 of the men armed for battle.
As everyone had crossed, safely, they turned and watched as the priests and the ark safely finished crossing last. As the priests carrying the ark came up out of the river onto the dry ground of the banks, “the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and ran at flood stage as before.”
THAT would have been a sight to remember, for sure!!
Knowing they would need a way to remember, the Lord instructed them to have 12 men, one from each tribe, take up 12 stones from the middle of the Jordan, right where the priests stood. They were to carry them to their camp where Joshua set them up in a monument. It appears they were larger stones because each man was instructed to carry his on his shoulder.
And here we are at the point I love. The stones were “to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” Joshua 4:6-7
And just to make sure they ‘got it’, Joshua told them as he set the stones up at their camp at Gilgal, “In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.” Joshua 4:21-24
A spiritual marker identifies a time of decision when you clearly know that God guided you – according to Blackaby, like:
- …specific times when He called you to His ways of living
- …when He guided you in a decision
- …when He spoke powerfully to you about a commitment you should make, or did make
- …when He walked with you through a terrible time or tragedy
- …when He showed up in your life – clearly & purposefully
One of my dearest Life-Story photobook course takers gave the best description of this when she said:
The Life Story section really opened my eyes to so much understanding of my current life and values…. Looking back made me fill in the blanks (or missing puzzle pieces) in my life…. I also saw God’s love for me as I grew up, how he blessed me, protected me, and grew me. Words cannot describe, but photos often do…. Thanks to the Life Story, I have been more focused on seeing how God has shown up in my life in the past, and can better see His works in the present and hope for the future. I am saved, I am loved, and I am blessed….
Not only will it help you understand God’s activity in your life, it will give you a sense of direction as you face future decisions, and it will provide you with some core points and stories undergirding your Life-Story.
This is the point in my previous blog where I challenged you to keep track of those important moments – to write those core points and stories in free-flow or however you can dash it off – NOW! You can “talk to text” or whatever.
So, I don’t ask you to do something without applying it to myself. On the open page in the front of my Bible, I have written “Memorials to God working in my life: Just a few of many.”
Here’s the story (summary) behind the entry “7-11-99 Preserved my life on Raton Pass as steering went out on the car at 65 mph.”
The short version – we had our van worked on just before I took another of many 500-mile trips to Texas to care for my mom who wanted to “stay on the farm”. I had driven there, visited and was returning via Raton Pass. Driving in the right lane, I could see in my rear view that a car was starting to pass me on the left as we are going around a curve to the right heading a bit downhill. I suddenly realized the steering wheel twirled freely in my hand making no difference in turning my van which was following gravity across the left-hand lane and straight for the metal guardrail on the left edge of the shoulder.
I could only think to jump on the brakes – truthfully, I had both feet pressing all the way on the brakes practically standing on them — and everything inside the van was thrown to the front. The left side of the van slid along the guardrail and finally came to a stop.
Realizing we had just come around a curve, I could easily imagine a car/truck coming behind me and plowing into me. So, I quickly crawled across the debris in the front seat to the passenger door, since the driver door was jammed against the guardrail, jumped out and ran to the right side of the road.
Somehow, my purse was on my shoulder – amazing. And my first thought? “Lord, you aren’t through with me yet!” And that was the truth. I will skip the details (the Trooper who responded and did not believe me until he himself twirled the steering wheel totally changing his attitude), etc.
But the lesson became clear after the distraught mechanic had fixed the car with profuse apologies – the engine had not been properly re-seated in the previous work and it had sheered the steering pin in two at just that moment on Raton Pass. Hmmm.
The Lord’s message did not come clear to me until I tried to drive again in that van. I could not turn right or left – I would freeze up. I had to pray continuously to get the van turned and around any corner in my path. Sounds silly, but it was REAL to me. He brought the message home – “I am in control, not you” and I knew He was demanding my dependence on Him be complete.
I am so like the Israelites – I need constant reminding of that key life message. And every time I open my Bible and glance at that first page, there is my “7-11-99” entry to remind me. I am totally dependent on my Lord and Savior.
Your turn. Told you I would check in on you. Did you write a milestone moment when you read my last blog? If so, have you re-visited it? And if not, think about what key milestone has impacted you in your life (and maybe needs to be on the first page of your Bible). It can be just the core points, free-flow or however you can dash it off – NOW! And put it in your “legacy” trove for those who come after you.
Pick up your “stone” – add it to your other legacy stones (your Life Story). And tell those who come after you what the stone means. Do it in your Life Story photobook!
Need help? I am here for you. Yes, I do the books for those who aren’t able to get it done for themselves. Or I help direct you through your own Life-Story. Just hit reply and let me know what you need.
