Stones of Remembrance: Recalling God's Goodness

My memory is very selective: It is short for blessings and long for frustrations. I remember the times when I have been uncomfortable, embarrassed, angry, or upset, yet I quickly forget the times that prayers were answered, catastrophes were averted, and tokens of God’s love were revealed.

A friend of mine reminded me of the importance of “remembering your stones.” This idea comes from Joshua 4:1-7.

And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying: “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.’”

Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the children of Israel, one man from every tribe; and Joshua said to them: “Cross over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.”

Many times in the Bible, God institutes a holiday or tradition, or commands the making of a certain thing, in order to provide a physical reminder of His goodness. When my friend encouraged me to “remember my stones,” I asked myself: What are some practical ways in which I can do so?

Ways to remember God's goodness:

I began a blessing journal, in which I recorded one blessing for each day. Some days the blessings were small: “I found my lost earring today!” Some days, they were more heartfelt: “I had a day with little pain and a clear mind. I got so much accomplished!” And other days they were monumental: “My sister safely delivered a healthy baby!” During those times when I can only recall the frustrating things, I return to the blessing journal and read over the entries.

I heard of a family’s shared blessing journal, which they would then read aloud at the end of the year, to remember all the ways in which God interceded on their behalf. What a beautiful activity that combines family bonding with faith strengthening!

Cliché as it may seem, holidays and traditions are times of remembrance. We always participate in a “Thankful Activity” with our relatives at Thanksgiving, by writing down things for which we are grateful. My family celebrates Passover every year with a special meal and the reading of the ten plagues, the first Passover, and the exodus from Egypt. One year, my father shared his personal testimony, as a way of commemorating his deliverance from his own “Egypt” of sin. It was a special time and, ever since then, I have remembered the significance of God “passing over” my sin, and marking me with the blood of His Lamb.

My family has a whiteboard on which we write down the things for which we are grateful. When I have a bad day, it is a powerful reminder of all the blessings that I tend to take for granted, and which God has showered so lavishly upon me and my family.

My personal journals and diaries are some of my greatest sources of remembrance. I have found that often I recall certain episodes of my life very differently than the way in which they actually happened, and reading through my diaries reminds me of details I’ve forgotten. Often, my reading reveals my faults, but it also reveals God’s goodness. In light of what I know now, I can look back at those old times of trial, and see just how God was using them to strengthen and teach me.

Prayer

Lord, teach me to set up stones of remembrance in my life, so that I will not forget Your limitless goodness toward me. It is true that You work all things together for good (Romans 8:28) and that You never leave me or forsake me. Give me clarity to remember the light when I walk in the darkness, and to praise You always. 

1 Chronicles 16:12
Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth.

Psalm 103:2
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.