“Cross again to the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel. Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ then you shall say to them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.’ So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.” Joshua 4:5-7
God knows us and how forgetful we can be. In His wisdom and kindness, He provides reminders that occur in the normal course of our lives to aid us. Some are for the general public; some are for all believers; while still others are very personal. After the Israelites crossed the Jordan, God told Joshua to have twelve men carry one stone each from the middle of the Jordan and set them up as a sign to remind them that God caused the waters to stop flowing before the ark so that the Israelites walked across on dry ground into the Promised Land. For those who witnessed the event, this would cause them to recall God’s might and goodness; for those who did not, it would serve as a teaching moment when they asked about the stones. This story caught my attention at an early age and had a significant impact on me. So much so, that I regularly associate things with events and ideas. The objects that are most important to me are the ones that have memories and meaning attached to them. While these enrich my life and bring me pleasure, they do not compare to the reminders that draw me closer to God and help me to recall His promises, His goodness, and His faithfulness to me. Marie and I spent last week with our aunt and uncle at a beach in Florida. For me, trips to the beach have become as much about spiritual renewal as they are about rest and relaxation; this trip more so than most. The sun, the ocean, the warm air and the contrast of the seascape and the cityscape are vivid cues that improve my eternal perspective and draw me closer to God.
The sun…it almost seems cliché to speak of the sun as a symbol for God, yet it is. We only have one sun to light our solar system and there is only one God. Its radiance is a foreshadowing of God’s glory which will eliminate the need for a sun in the next life. Psalm 19 often comes to mind, especially when I watch the sun rise over the ocean. “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the of His hands.” (Psalm 19:1) It is a call to my soul to worship God.
The ocean is a force to be reckoned with…man has not and will not tame it or control it no matter how much we try. In that regard, it speaks to God’s complete sovereignty. He has set the boundaries of the ocean. (Proverbs 8:29, Psalm 104:9 and Job 38:8-11) Just as God is sovereign over the sea, He is sovereign over all. Nothing happens outside of His will and His plan. This reminder along with the teaching of Matthew six and other passages encourage me to trust God’s sovereign plan when things seem to be out of control.
I chill easily so the warmth of the air is comforting as it envelops me. It settles me and helps me to focus and listen to God. God’s word and His promises do the same for my soul. When I fix my thoughts on what God’s truth, my soul is calmed. The chaos may rage, and I may feel stress, but I know that I am securely in the hands of God who is Lord of all, who is my Heavenly Father, who is the one who chose to love me and sacrifice His Son to provide salvation, and promises to never leave or forsake me. In that, I can say “it is well with my soul.”
As I stand at the shoreline, I am also aware of the cityscape that is behind me. For me it is the ocean side represents eternity with God while the cityscape symbolizes the world and the things that pull my attention away from God…the things that often cloud my thoughts and judgement. I can choose to focus on the city or the ocean. I always choose the ocean. However, in life I fear I forget to focus on eternity as I should. In that fact, trips to the seaside shift me back to a proper perspective…not just because of the reminders that God has given me, but because I also spend a fair amount of time walking the beach and talking to God about the things that are bothering me. I am always drawn to Him.
God has given the world the creation to tell of His greatness and glory. He has given the Christian community communion to remember Christ’s sacrifice for our sins and to “proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26) Further, our Heavenly Father knows each of us intimately and knows how draw us closer to Himself. He knows that we need to be reminded that He is with us when trials hit and our world seems overwhelmingly frenzied. He has handpicked the reminders that work for each of us. They are tailor made for us; all we need to do is employ them…often. Whatever God has given you to help you remember His love for you, His promises to you and His care for your body and soul, use them. That’s what they are there for. For when we allow them to help us focus on God and the eternal perspective, our anxiety eases and we draw closer to God. He assures us that when we do that, He will come closer to us. (James 4:8)