inspiration

Jacob and Joshua erected stone memorials for remembrance of the Lord’s work. Do we actively create memorials in our hearts for Him?

My father passed away in November. It seems surreal to think that I am living a part of my life without him in my background. In a quiet moment, I might remember that he is no longer with us. Memories flood me. Remembrance of him, for those of us closest to him, is easy. Still, my mother, sister, and I made plans with other family members to erect a tangible reminder of his life.

Stones

There will be no headstone, as he was cremated rather than buried. Instead, we will purchase a bench or a sitting stone with a memorial plaque to place near one of his favorite places in the mountains in Colorado. This is a common practice for memorializing someone in our culture. There is usually a stone, brick, or plaque somewhere to remind those who come after us that our loved ones were here and made an impact.

The people of the Old Testament were no different. They used stones quite frequently to serve as reminders to those who came after them of significant events. Unlike the headstones of today, though, these stones of remembrance were to point towards God’s presence and actions, rather than memorializing men.

Jacob had encounters with God that commanded and inspired him to move forward in the Lord’s work. In response, he built a pillar to God…

And God said to him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body. The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you.” Then God went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him. And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it and poured oil on it. So Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.
Genesis 35:11-19, ESV

Generational Remembrance

Joshua had men take twelve stones from the Jordan once they had crossed it. They then erected a memorial to remind their children and their children’s children that God had cut off the waters of the usually overflowing Jordan so that they might cross over it easily. Joshua commanded that one man of each tribe carry a stone.

This action was not merely symbolic or a literary contrivance that looks nice on paper. “Look, there are 12 tribes of Israel, 12 stones, and 12 disciples!” No, Joshua commanded each tribe’s participation, ensuring everyone’s investment. Not one person would forget to hand down the tale because they merely stood on the sidelines watching it happen. No, their hands carried and laid the stones. It was a moment of significance for each tribe individually and collectively.

The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they encamped at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal. And he said to the people of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”
Joshua 4:19-24, ESV

Eradication of Sin

Joshua also renewed the covenant the Lord had made with Moses after God had given Ai into their hands. God had dealt swiftly with the sin that was rampant in Ai, just like he did in Jericho.

At that time Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the people of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, ‘an altar of uncut stones, upon which no man has wielded an iron tool.’ And they offered on it burnt offerings to the Lord and sacrificed peace offerings. And there, in the presence of the people of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written.
Joshua 8:30-32, ESV

Bear Witness Against Men

More stones were erected when Joshua told the Israelites to choose who they would serve. These stones memorialized that choice accordingly, bearing witness to their feeble promise to God.

So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and put in place statutes and rules for them at Shechem. And Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone and set it up there under the terebinth that was by the sanctuary of the Lord. Joshua said to all the people, ‘Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the Lord that he spoke to us. Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God.’
Joshua 24:25-27, ESV

Christian Life Today

In today’s world, we don’t need stones to remind us of God’s mighty works. We have the evidence of His goodness, His greatness, His wrath, and His correction in our Bibles. In other words, the Bible is a nice, portable collection of stones for us to sift through and reminisce about.

I don’t need to go sit on the bench or stone we will purchase to remember my father. I have placed pillars in my heart that will remain forever. But, do I do that for the Lord? Have I learned enough about Him? Do I love Him with the love of someone who knows her Father intimately enough that stones are unnecessary? Do I recognize the great and miraculous works He performs in my life, and subsequently love Him more for them?

We don't need stones today to remind us of God's mighty works. We have the evidence of His goodness, His greatness, His wrath, and His correction in our Bibles. Click To Tweet

Building My Own Pillars of Remembrance

I vow to read and actively study my Bible more. I promise that I will learn more about God so that I might love him more fiercely every day. And I commit myself to recognize His work in my everyday moments. Therefore, let the stones of remembrance I place in my heart act as memorials and as witnesses to my personal promises to God.

Jon Phillips

What inspires you? Usually, the only obstacle standing in the way of motivation is ourselves. At the end of the day, the only source for lasting inspiration is found in the Word of God.

You know that person you see every now and then? It’s comforting to see them, and for some reason it feels right. You know who they are and you’ve heard a lot about them, but you haven’t ever spoken to them. You’re not afraid of them, but there is some intimidation. You’ve never sat down and gotten to know them. This is the perfect picture of how I view God.

We’ve heard the stories about a being who created the universe, did awesome things, and set up eternity. Also, we’ve heard about a guy, who came and died for us so we would be clean and precious in God’s eyes. We even have mutual friends that want to see Him as a King. Your neighbor who loves Christ more than life itself. Or your cousin who talks about God like He’s their best friend.

With this in mind, I have to ask myself, how often do I spend time talking to the One who literally put the stars in the sky? How often am I reading the words He said and wrote for me? Well, let’s just say, thank God Almighty it’s okay to be a work in progress.

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:18

The Struggle of Distractions

Too often, I overlook the magnificence of the Bible. God Almighty, our Lord, our Savior, not only came back to save us, but He spoke to us. And we have access to that! We shouldn’t be able to put that book down!

Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.

2 Corinthians 4:1

Yet, we’re constantly fighting for the inspiration to read it. Inspiration, I think, is quite a universal struggle. I’ll speak only for myself when I say this, but I have a feeling I’m not the only one who feels this way. I don’t like being told what to do. Truthfully, I prefer to do things on my own time. You know, be the captain of my own ship; the queen of my kingdom.

Even now, as I sit here writing, I find my mind wandering to the things I’d rather be doing. I hate to admit it, but I find myself displaying this mindset in a vast majority of my daily life. Homework. Chores. If it’s not on my list of things I want to do, I’ll probably complain about it. I don’t want to overstep here, but I think it’s safe to assume that a lot of us struggle with this major lack of inspiration.

The most frustrating part for me in particular is the fact that I don’t necessarily want to be like this. I want to have a clean room. I want to make mom smile by washing the mountain of dishes while she’s out running errands. Mostly though, I long to know the God who has repeatedly pulled me out of darkness. Yet, I find myself pushing Him to the back burner. How then are we supposed to overcome our own flesh and do these things we don’t really want to do?

I long to know the God who has repeatedly pulled me out of darkness. Yet, I find myself pushing Him to the back burner. How then are we supposed to overcome our own flesh and do these things we don’t really want to do? Click To Tweet

Aha! Inspiration

With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

Matthew 19:26

And that is simply it. The answer to all our problems. It’s simple. Perhaps not as easy as we’d like; but simple. God makes all things possible. Don’t have the motivation to go to work today? Ask God to give it to you. Don’t have it in you to deal with your screaming children? How about your mom and dad; or brother and sister? Ask God to not only quiet their minds and hearts, but yours as well.

Talk to Him, pray to Him, and learn and grow to love Him as He loves you. Saying it this way may make it sound so simple, but it truly is that simple. He loves you. Not because of anything you’ve done or will ever do. We’ve heard that said time and time again.

For myself, I often skim across that truth. Trying to wrap my mind around the fact that I am truly, unconditionally loved and that there’s nothing I can ever do to lose that love, blows my mind. We should never be able to get over that. This is our motivation and inspiration.

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Remembrance: Erecting Memorials in Our Hearts to God