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.’”

Joshua 4:1-3

Memorial Day was originally dedicated “to mourn and honor its deceased service men and women,” but today we honor all those who have gone before us. A couple of weeks ago my brother and I met to do some maintenance on the family cemetery where he did the work as I was conveniently nursing an injury. This weekend our sister will place some fresh flowers on the graves of our parents, our sister and our grandparents.

Memories matter.

We see the importance of remembering in the verses above. It was the LORD who wanted the people to remember the miracle at the Jordan river and His purpose was to pass that memory from generation to generation as a “memorial forever.”

And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, that this may be a sign among you. 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: 5-8

The Bible is full of stories like the one above that mark God’s faithfulness and provision in the lives of His people. What memorials stand out to you?