Remember the former things, those of long ago;
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.
I make known the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please.’ Isa 46: 9,10
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.
I make known the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please.’ Isa 46: 9,10
I am feeling like God’s spoiled child this morning. He has proven His faithfulness, kindness and love to me over and over but as the challenges of life build one upon another, I forget! Last night our Life Group reviewed the above Isaiah scripture and our discussion led to the amazing account of the memorial stones of the Children of Israel in Joshua, Chapters 3 and 4.
The Children of Israel were led in the desert for forty years under the excellent leadership of Moses and Joshua. They were in the last stretch of the journey and were tipped off that now it was time to cross the Jordan River. This will not be for sissies. Lions hide in the turns and curves of the vegetation along that river. And wouldn’t you know it, the day of their crossing, the riverbanks spilled over. The banks overflow at times in spring. But God gave Joshua a word and it was fulfilled. They stepped into the river as God instructed and it dried up so they could cross! God told Joshua to select a leader from each tribe to fetch a large stone from the river and add it to the pile of stones that would memorialize God’s faithfulness to His people.
The leader of our Life Group instructed us all to stand for prayer as we ended our study. He waited patiently for each of us to share a stone of remembrance. It was an amazing time of prayer to listen to everyone’s voices thank God for bringing them through the hard times. My husband was thankful for the transition of moving from Chicago to the southwest desert where our priorities changed radically. I shared how the Lord saved me from an oncoming train wreck before I knew Him personally as my savior and eternal life became a sure thing for me.
Silence loomed large in our car during the drive home. We were still thinking about God’s goodness to us and all the things He has done in our lives. What a fantastic way to enter into the Thanksgiving Season!
Spiritual Sundays is hosted by Charlotte and Ginger.
The Children of Israel were led in the desert for forty years under the excellent leadership of Moses and Joshua. They were in the last stretch of the journey and were tipped off that now it was time to cross the Jordan River. This will not be for sissies. Lions hide in the turns and curves of the vegetation along that river. And wouldn’t you know it, the day of their crossing, the riverbanks spilled over. The banks overflow at times in spring. But God gave Joshua a word and it was fulfilled. They stepped into the river as God instructed and it dried up so they could cross! God told Joshua to select a leader from each tribe to fetch a large stone from the river and add it to the pile of stones that would memorialize God’s faithfulness to His people.
The leader of our Life Group instructed us all to stand for prayer as we ended our study. He waited patiently for each of us to share a stone of remembrance. It was an amazing time of prayer to listen to everyone’s voices thank God for bringing them through the hard times. My husband was thankful for the transition of moving from Chicago to the southwest desert where our priorities changed radically. I shared how the Lord saved me from an oncoming train wreck before I knew Him personally as my savior and eternal life became a sure thing for me.
Silence loomed large in our car during the drive home. We were still thinking about God’s goodness to us and all the things He has done in our lives. What a fantastic way to enter into the Thanksgiving Season!
Spiritual Sundays is hosted by Charlotte and Ginger.
What a wonderful Bible study you are involved in. I think that silence can be much more powerful than words at times.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless,
Ginger
Mary, I know when I look back at the journals I've kept over the years I can see how faithful God has been. Those memorial stones are important as we teach the next generation too.
ReplyDeleteblessings and love,
Debbie
The Holy Spirit has really been moving in you, your husband and other's in your study group.
ReplyDeleteAWESOME!!!!!!
That was a wonderful Bible study! If we are asked to place stones nowadays to remember His goodness, I'm sure it will be a towering one. Glory be to our good God Whose love endures forever! Blessings and love to you sister.
ReplyDeleteThat is wonderful Mary! I would have stones higher than my house if I tried to memorial all that He has done for me.
ReplyDeleteMany blessings!
Beth
Stopping by from Spiritual Sundays ~ What has always amazed me about the 40 years in the wilderness is if they would have obeyed and trusted God, it would have been an 11 day journey. I love the memorial stones too but oh how high they would become remembering all He has done for us!
ReplyDeletegrettajohns.blogspot.com
I love those times when in silence we ponder the words that are from our Holy Saviour.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Bren
Mary:
ReplyDeleteI wholeheartedly join with you in entering this Thanksgiving season by remembering all of 'those stones' which He has given to me, and thanking Him for each one.
Hugs!
You are blessed to have a Life Group that studies the Word. Thank you for sharing this great post. God bless, Dr. Bobbi
ReplyDeletethis is a great post...I love that feeling of being overwhelmed with everything He's done. I feel that too...all the time.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful post! Love it.
ReplyDeleteBlessings to you!
Such a good and timely word today..
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Deborah xo
i need to get involved in such a Bible study...
ReplyDeletethis is wonderful... we are all God's spoiled child aren't we??
Wow! This spoke to me indeed.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
You got me wondering...how were you saved from a train wreck?
Awesome post Mary. What a delight to read. Thank you blessings.
ReplyDeleteThat really is a wonderful way to enter the Thanksgiving season. Thank you for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Charlotte
Thank you for sharing this. We could never be too thankful to the Lord for all He has done.
ReplyDeleteWonderful post. Thanks so much for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed Sunday!
How important it is to REMEMBER His good deeds - the wonderful things He has done in our lives.
ReplyDeleteWe had communion this morning - and I was once again touched by remembering the gift of salvation - the gift of Jesus' sacrifice - the gift of Him.
God is good - all the time.
BLESSINGS!
I am new to your blog. We do need to all have a stone of remembrance. I have many and so thankful I have the Lord along life's journey. I invite you to visit my blog and follow if you like to.
ReplyDeleteOh dear Mary,
ReplyDeleteThis is such a memorable quote, and an equally memorable story of picking up a stone of remembrance to memorialize God's faithfulness to His people.
Reading your words made me feel like my heart was being wrung with emotion.
SOmething in the story you shared - the move that gave you and your hubby a new set of priorities, God saving you from an oncoming train (I don't know this story since I am just a recent reader of your blog)...but something in your words wrenched my guts... it was a feeling of the Holy Spirit depositing something in me.
Thank you...
Love
Lidj
This is the perfect Thanksgiving post. Remembering the amazing things God did, and adding thanksgiving for our own miracles that God provided. Sometimes we get caught up in thinking "God, what have You done for me lately?" When the truth is, if we just make a list of what He's already done, it's so much more than we even deserve.
ReplyDelete