Standing Stones: Leaving a Legacy of Faith
I truly believe that one of the most powerful gifts we can give our children is our testimonies. As a child, I heard testimony after testimony from my parents and grandparents. Sometimes it was the same story over and over, and sometimes it was a new story of how someone came through for them with groceries or a kind word at just the right moment.
I love the story in Joshua 3 where God stops the flow of the Jordan River so that Joshua and the Israelites can cross it to reach the promised land. I especially love what Joshua does immediately after they make camp.
Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, 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 4:4-7
I love this story because it shows Joshua’s faith in God and his understanding of how to ensure the Israelites and their children developed the same faith. Joshua’s actions teach us two important principles.
1. Our past testimonies become fuel for the faith we need today.
Joshua had seen Moses part the Red Sea. He saw God’s power and faithfulness first-hand. So when he saw the river, he didn’t see an obstacle. Joshua saw an opportunity for God to do what he knew he could do all over again.
Recently, I went to take a shower and realized we had no hot water. When I checked our water heater, I found a puddle on the floor. And it was growing.
Yikes.
I did some research and quickly realized that it was very likely our water heater needed to be replaced. I didn’t have time to worry about it, so I took a cold shower and headed to rehearsal for the Elle Conference. On the way there, I started to pray. And I said, “God, I need you to help me. And I know that you can.” I started listing the ways he had been faithful to my family and me. How He healed me of gestational diabetes. How He provided incredible job opportunities for me. How He provided the funds to repair our car. I said, “God, if you did it before, I have to know that you will do it again.”
Sure enough, within 24 hours, God had provided us with a new water heater and its installation at no cost. It would have been easy to become fearful. I could have focused on our bank account or let the stress distract me during rehearsal. But by keeping my thoughts fixed on God, the challenge wasn’t an attack on my faith; it was encouragement to meditate on who God is.
2. Our Testimonies Fuel the Faith of the Next Generation
Joshua’s actions remind me that the stories that fuel my faith today will be the stories that fuel my kids’ faith in 10-15 years.
When I struggled with my relationship with God as a teenager and walked away from him for a time, one of the things that pulled me back was the testimonies my family kept sharing with me. I could question God’s love. I could have questions about the Bible. But I couldn’t question how God provided supernaturally for my family’s health, finances, and provision. These testimonies gave me enough faith to keep asking questions, keep seeking God, and eventually find my way back to Him.
I may not hear them say it, but I know that when my kids wonder if God can provide for them, they will think back to the stories I tell them about how God provided for me. My faith will fuel their faith. Psalm 145:4-7 says:
One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
They tell of the power of your awesome works—
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
They celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
Whatever you are carrying right now, I believe that God wants to use it to draw your focus to Him. As we head into Elle Conference weekend, remind yourself of what God’s Word says. His faithfulness never ends. Today’s trial may become tomorrow’s standing stone; a testimony your children will one day point back to as proof of God’s faithfulness.