When a family member or friend gives a young child a gift, what do their parents say? They almost always ask their child, “What do you say?” They are queuing their children to say “Thank you.” After all, gratitude is the only proper response to a gift or an undeserved gracious gesture, especially when it comes to God’s care and provision for us. This is what the people of Israel understood after God miraculously made a way for them to walk through the Jordan River on their way to the Promised Land.
In our Bible study yesterday, we left off with the story of the Israelites in Joshua 3. In the chapter, Joshua was leading the Israelites to the Promised Land after 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. As they were on their way to the Promised Land, they came across the Jordan River, which was overflowing. Instead of backing away and questioning whether or not God could lead them to the Promised Land, the Israelites trusted God. They held on to God’s promise that God would lead them through the Jordan River. As a result, the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant took a step onto the water and, miraculously, just as God said, the water “began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam…and the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry” (verse 16). Then, Scripture tells us, “all the people crossed over” (verse 16). Miraculously, God provided a way through the river so that everyone could cross dry ground.
Immediately after, we learn in Joshua 4 that the Israelites built a memorial to thank God and remember what He had done for them. The purpose of this memorial was to honor what God had done for them and remind their children of what God had done for them. All of these things are a mark of gratitude, pausing to recognize what God has done and thank Him for it.
The truth is, many of us are easily forgetful. We quickly forget what God has done for us. When God performs a miracle in our lives, we quickly move on to the next thing without expressing gratitude or rejoicing over what God has done for us. May we learn from the Israelites’ example in Joshua 4 and pause, thank God, and let His great provision in our lives be like a monument expressing our gratitude, pointing others to Him time and time again.
Take some time today to thank God for one way He has provided for you today. How has He taken care of you? How has He provided for you specifically today? Take a moment to pause now and show gratitude. Thank Him for what He has done for you. Tell someone today how God has provided for you and encourage them that He is working in their lives, too.
1When all the people had crossed the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Now choose twelve men, one from each tribe. 3 Tell them, ‘Take twelve stones from the very place where the priests are standing in the middle of the Jordan. Carry them out and pile them up at the place where you will camp tonight.’”
4 So Joshua called together the twelve men he had chosen—one from each of the tribes of Israel. 5 He told them, “Go into the middle of the Jordan, in front of the Ark of the Lord your God. Each of you must pick up one stone and carry it out on your shoulder—twelve stones in all, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. 6 We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 7 Then you can tell them, ‘They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant went across.’ These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever.”
8 So the men did as Joshua had commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan River, one for each tribe, just as the Lord had told Joshua. They carried them to the place where they camped for the night and constructed the memorial there.
9 Joshua also set up another pile of twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, at the place where the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant were standing. And they are there to this day.
10 The priests who were carrying the Ark stood in the middle of the river until all of the Lord’s commands that Moses had given to Joshua were carried out. Meanwhile, the people hurried across the riverbed. 11 And when everyone was safely on the other side, the priests crossed over with the Ark of the Lord as the people watched.
12 The armed warriors from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh led the Israelites across the Jordan, just as Moses had directed. 13 These armed men—about 40,000 strong—were ready for battle, and the Lord was with them as they crossed over to the plains of Jericho.
14 That day the Lord made Joshua a great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites, and for the rest of his life they revered him as much as they had revered Moses.
15 The Lord had said to Joshua, 16 “Command the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant to come up out of the riverbed.” 17 So Joshua gave the command. 18 As soon as the priests carrying the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant came up out of the riverbed and their feet were on high ground, the water of the Jordan returned and overflowed its banks as before.
19 The people crossed the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. Then they camped at Gilgal, just east of Jericho. 20 It was there at Gilgal that Joshua piled up the twelve stones taken from the Jordan River.
21 Then Joshua said to the Israelites, “In the future your children will ask, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 Then you can tell them, ‘This is where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the river right before your eyes, and he kept it dry until you were all across, just as he did at the Red Sea when he dried it up until we had all crossed over. 24 He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the Lord’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the Lord your God forever.”
