History - Our History, Our Present

Historical events have special meaning for the present. If we fail to learn the lessons of history, we will repeat the mistakes of the past. And if we learn nothing from the past, our history has been in vain.

Joshua, Chapter 4, gives a biblical account of Joshua receiving instructions from God to direct the children of Israel in crossing the Jordan River. Do you recall the Children of Israel's exodus from Egypt? God opened and safely led them across the Red Sea. In the book of Joshua, the priests are standing in the middle of the Jordan River holding the Ark of the Covenant as the Children of Israel are crossing the Jordan River. The Lord instructs Joshua to send one person from each of the twelve tribes to gather a stone from the middle of the Jordan River where the priests are standing. Wherever the Children of Israel camped that night, they were to set the stones at a memorial to God's leading them.

When your children and your children's children ask, "What are these rocks for? What do they mean? Why are they here?", you can tell them what the Lord did for us and how the Jordan stopped flowing so we could walk across on dry ground. These stones were taken from the middle of the Jordan River where the priests stood holding the Ark until all the tribes had safely crossed. Through the sojourn in the wilderness, God has never failed us. He has been our Guide.

Just as the stones had meaning for the children of Israel, our history has special meaning for God's people today. Our history reflects the leading of God in our church, our homes, and the surrounding community.