Looking backwards to move forwards

Sometimes it's good to look backwards so that you might better move forward. In Joshua 4, God commands the children of Israel to....well let me give you the passage.

1 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, 2 "Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, 3 and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan from right where the priests stood and to carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight."

4 So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, 5 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, 6 to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, 'What do these stones mean?'

7 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 had just led the people of Israel across the Jordan River (when it was at its flood stage) n a miraculous way. The waters parted and the people crossed over on dry ground!

Now, God says, remember this. Remember how I helped you through this difficult time.

Its important to establish memorials in our own lives in our spiritual journey. We must keep a record of our experiences with God as a continual reminder of His faithfulness to us.

This is what Debbie and I did yesterday here at our church. Our church family graciously honored us for 10 years of service as their lead pastors. Debbie and I took the sermon portion of the service to reminisce, to remember and thank God for all the good things he has done.

God helped us in a time of revival as many came to Christ and drew closer to the Lord.
God helped us to build our new sanctuary, with offices, etc.
God helped us as we have ministered to our community in all kinds of different ways.

We don't look to the past to dwell on the past, but to learn and be stronger for the future.

What in your past, today, has God done for you that will encourage you in the present?