What do these stones mean?

The story of the crossing of the Jordan River is one of my favorite stories in the Old Testament. It is found in Joshua chapters 3 and 4. The Children of Israel have been wondering in the wilderness for 40 years. They have been waiting for this day all of that time! And it is finally here. They get to go in and possess the land that God promised to Abraham and his descendants many many years ago.

As they cross the river, Joshua asks that a representative from each of the 12 tribes take a rock from the middle of the river and carry it with them to the other side. When they finish crossing the Jordan, they take the stones and stack them together to make a monument or a memorial. God wanted to make sure that the Israelites always remember how God parted the waters so they could cross over into the land that God had promised to them. The Hebrew word used for remember here is "zakar." To "zakar" something means to remember with a purpose. It is a call to action. It is not to simply recall, but to recall and act. In this case, they were to pass on the story of God's faithfulness to God's people throughout history.

God is still at work in our lives today. God is still providing for God's people thousands of years after the Children of Israel crossed the Jordan River. And God wants us to remember. And when we remember, God wants us to pass on the story of God's faithfulness. I challenge you to create some sort of memorial system within your family. It could be a journal where you record prayer requests and how you see God answering those prayers. It could be a jar where you record stories about God at work in your family and collect those stories to read together from time to time. It could be a scrapbook of pictures and stories. They could be photographs or even drawings that you and your children make together about times when you have experienced the hand of God at work. The medium is not important. What is important is that we teach our children to recognize that God is at work in our lives. The story of God providing for God's people is a story that is still being written. And we need to do our part to share our part of the story.

Daniel and the Lions Den

The story of Daniel and the lion den is full of valuable lessons for children. If you need a quick refresher, check out Daniel chapter 6. Daniel always did what was right in the sight of the Lord, even when it wasn't popular with others and even when it meant disobeying the law. He wasn't afraid to do what was right because Daniel had put his trust in the God and knew that God would take care of him.

I encourage you to talk with your children about peer pressure this week. As hard as it is to believe, peer pressure exists even among our youngest children. As human beings, we naturally want to fit in. But sometimes doing what it takes to fit in means going against what we believe in. Taking a stand and refusing to follow the crowd can be very difficult, even for adults.

Use the story of Daniel as a springboard to discuss what values and beliefs are important to your child and to your family as a whole. Talk about strategies your child can use when faced with a situation that tempts them to compromise those values and beliefs. Pray together that God will give each of you the strength to always stand up for what is right.

Do not be afraid...

Isaiah 41:10a “So do not be afraid. I am with you.  Do not be terrified. I am your God. I will make you strong and help you.” (NIrV)

The story of Gideon is found in Judges chapters 6 & 7. God used Gideon to rescue the Israelites from the Midianites. The Israelites had been afraid of the Midianites and would run and hide in the caves when the Midianites came to destroy their crops. But God heard Gideon's cries for help, and God told him to gather an army. God would give them victory! With 300 men, God helped Gideon defeat the enemy of which they had been afraid.

We all have things we are afraid of from time to time. Talk with your child about things that make them afraid. Remind them of the verse above from Isaiah. Memorize it together as a family. Help them know that God is when them and will help them. With God on our side, we have nothing to fear!