A Day to Remember

“These stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.”—Joshua 4:7

When the children of Israel crossed into the Promised Land, Joshua called a representative from each tribe and told each of them to take up a stone and form a memorial.

Joshua said that the purpose was simple: He knew future generations would not know the story of their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. He wanted them to have a memorial that would serve as a sign among them, an object to help them remember.

He knew that this memorial would stimulate questions. In the future, people would ask, “What do these stones mean?” (v. 6). The presence of the memorial would provide an opportunity to tell the story of the way God miraculously delivered His people and brought them into the Promised Land.

Memorials can play a similar role in our lives. Holidays like Memorial Day encourage us to ask questions: How has God helped us? What sacrifices have been made by previous generations? What do we owe to those in past generations? Are there things we do not know about our heritage, our faith, and the history of our spiritual freedoms?

Today, pause and ask God to show you all the things you have for which you can be grateful! Seek to have a thankful heart, and remember what others have done for you. Take the time to be grateful to God and to people in past generations who have done so much for us.

Reflection Question: Reflect on the real meaning of Memorial Day.