A puzzling memory…
Memory is the scribe of the soul. Aristotle
The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground. So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, 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, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 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 3:17 and 4:4-7
Today’s devotional might not seem outdoor based, yet it is. One of my favorite indoor activities is puzzling (yes, there are actually a few indoor activities that I enjoy). Anyway, last year, a friend gave me a beautiful scenic landscape puzzle of Lake Tahoe. Now, as much as I love nature and the wild, it might surprise you to know that landscape puzzles are absolutely not my favorite, particularly those with lots of blue sky and blue water! Too hard and a bit tedious! Still, I didn’t want to appear ungrateful, yet the enthusiasm level was low as I started the puzzle. The first day was fun as friends were over and it was a social time. Then, I was all on my own for the rest of this tough 1000 piece puzzle.
Though this may seem irrelevant, keep reading. The Israelites needed to cross the Jordan River, which was at flood stage, and they were also carrying the precious (and heavy) Ark of the Lord. God came through with a miracle. As the priests followed directions from Joshua, who received instruction from God, they stepped into the edge of the river. The waters stopped flowing, instead piling up a great distance away. The priests and people were able to safely cross the river. After they had done so, God gave instructions for twelve stones to be gathered (one for each tribe of Israel) and stack them as a memorial to remember God’s love, provision, and miraculous power.
So, back to the puzzle story… Interestingly enough, it’s the first time that I ever remember truly enjoying a landscape puzzle. Yes, it certainly WAS hard, yet as I worked on the puzzle, many wonderful memories of time at Lake Tahoe came back to me. My family playing in the water with beautiful blue water rimmed by mountains. Paddleboarding with friends and/or my pup. Hiking around or above lake. Mostly happy days, but even a few sad ones. Through it all, God used Lake Tahoe to create memories that bless me to this very day AND encourage me that God has more lovely Tahoe days ahead for me to savor. So, in a sense, the puzzle was a memory stone for me as well as an encouragement that winter puzzle season would eventually give way to more glorious days at the lake. It was a great way of remembering, dreaming, and considering God’s faithfulness, love, and provision.
Whether in your yard or home, consider creating your own memory stone memorial. Then you too can have a physical reminder of God’s love for you.
