Monuments to Remember God’s Faithfulness
Have you ever thought how easy it would be to have a strong faith if we were able to witness the miracles we read about in the Bible? We shake our heads in disbelief at the forgetfulness of the Israelites. Surely we wouldn’t forget the greatness of God when there were such obvious displays of His power and might!
But just like the Israelites, we tend to be people who forget. Minutes after meeting someone, I sometimes struggle to remember their name. I often walk into a room and forget the reason I went in there. I get home from the grocery store and realize that despite the bag full of groceries, I didn’t get the one thing I went to get! I am forgetful! We are forgetful people! God knows this! That is why He instructed the Israelites to establish monuments–memorials to remember His faithfulness. He knew His people would need reminders to remember that He is faithful and He is good!
We still need monuments today. When times get discouraging, we sometimes forget to trust in God’s faithfulness, and our hope can begin to dim. Having monuments of God’s faithfulness in the past gives us hope for whatever we are facing today.
When we see them, we are encouraged. The monuments remind us that He is with us when we pass through the waters and His promise to not let them overwhelm us. He is with us when we walk through the fire and He will not let us be burned. We are precious and honored by God. He loves us and promises to always be with us! (Isaiah 43:2-4)
Our monuments renew our commitment to God as we remember and give thanks for all He has done. They remind us to tell our story so others may know how faithful and able He is (Joshua 4:24). And they are reminders that when we are weary and overwhelmed, He gives us new strength and courage (Isaiah 40:31).
What monuments do you have in your life that cause you to pause and reflect upon the goodness and faithfulness of God? Monuments don’t have to be a literal stone altar. They can be memories, places, people, and events in our lives. I think of my blue chair where I have met with God morning after morning and He has been so incredibly faithful to transform my heart and sustain me in difficult times. I think of special friends whom God has used to speak truth into my life and uphold me in prayer. I think of the church where I grew up as I learned the key foundations of my faith.
Yes, it is good to pause and reflect upon the faithfulness and goodness of God. I am challenged to remember the monuments I have had thus far, as well as to think about the monuments that are being built today. God is not done working in my life and I am confident that there will be many more times where He makes His faithfulness known
