Standing stones

When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man,  and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests’ feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.’ ... When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”   Joshua 4

 

Standing stones were set up to mark an extraordinary event or place. When someone passed it they would ask the question, “what happened here”? And it was an invitation to tell the story. Story and remembering are important. God uses story and calls us to remember – giving us all kinds of reminders throughout the text.

What do we use today to catch people's attention and mark certain events?

 

5 Responses

  1. lorraineokeefe
    Anniversaries, national holidays, birthdays. Marking important dates in my calendar reminds me to pause and reflect on how many years it's been since God did this or that. My business is a dynamic standing stone to God and his faithfulness.
  2. The Academy Awards? Tonys? Grammys? National Holiday's are probably the most obvious. There are also monuments (big and small) all over this country.
  3. WTWN
    What about something that "begs the question"? The pile of rocks leaves room for the story to be told from generation to generation. I'm wondering about something to leave on my desk or??
    • Elaine
      Still thinking about this......
  4. Jen
    I wish the question was asked of me more than it is - that people could see Jesus in me - even if they didn't know what it was. And would be provoked to ask. I don't think it's about DOING different things as much as it is about BEING different. Christ in me.
  5. […] Israelites marked important events and places by setting up a stone or pile of stones. They drew attention to the site and begged the question of “what happened […]
  6. […] metaphors. If we are stones, then maybe God is calling us to be living standing stones. Remember standing stones were erected to compel the recounting of a […]
  7. […] and symbols is a good way to remember. God is constantly giving His people physical reminders (standing stones, tassels, […]

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