Christian Living

---

During a business trip with my family, we planned some time at the end of the week to explore the town we were visiting and to tour the local venues. During one outing the kids discovered different colored rocks than the common gray we were accustomed to and before long I was holding a handful of rocks the kids had given me. Like most moms, I placed them in my purse. Several weeks after our trip I reached into my purse and scratched my finger on a rock I had forgotten to remove. I dug through my purse and pulled out the rascal that hurt me. When I looked at the rock, memories of that moment flooded to my mind. I remembered the youngest child handing me the rock with great pride over his discovery. I remembered the beautiful surrounding of the place we were in at the time, I remembered the car ride to the location, and I remembered the meal we had prior to our adventure.

In Joshua 3 verses 9 and 24 God had just completed His second parting of the waters for the Israelites. When the Israelites had crossed the Jordon river, God told Joshua to find twelve men from among the tribes and have them return to the middle of the river, where the priests where standing, and collect twelve large stones and carry them to the other side of the Jordon where they would camp. When they had collected the stones and returned to shore Joshua took the stones and built a memorial as a remembrance of the mighty and powerful hand of God.

We need to collect stones in our life. After we have crossed through tough and miraculous times in our lives we need to look back, go back with the Holy Spirit, and collect a stone and carry it with you to a place He has planned for the collection of your stones. Throughout your journey of life, stop, look back from whence you came and collect a small rock in remembrance of where you have been. After every retreat, mission trip, special music performance, or Sunday at church reflect on God’s power and influence in your life. Collect a rock from the moment. Then later when you are looking over the different rocks you have collected you see God’s power, influence, and direction for your life.

After having collected and piled up the rocks, the stones, and the pebbles from your life experience take a look at what God has asked you to build. Notice it’s height, notice the depth, notice the width of the structure; how fitting that it is in the shape of an altar.

When God has brought you to a point in your life where you realize that He is with you always and in every situation, you will come to a point of realization that He wants you as His all in all. He wants you to lay your life down for Him; sacrifice your selfishness, sacrifice your time, sacrifice your love, sacrifice your children. Present yourself as a sweet aroma, holy and pleasing to the Lord. He wants total unity of heart and spirit. He longs to use you for the sake of His kingdom and eternal glory. He longs to use the surrendered passion and the willingness to do what He desire.

Have you taken time to look back on your life? Can you see God working mighty changes or grooming you with a special skill or talent that seemed so common place back then? Have you been through an abusive situation, a divorce, lost your job, been wrongly accused, or agonized over the death of a loved one? If you haven’t gone back before now, take the time now to go back and collect a stone.

Heavenly Farther, grant me the desire to slow down and take the time to reflect on your mighty power and presence in my life. Continue to fan the flames of love within me that cause me to know and recognize the presence of Your Spirit that I may submit my will to thine and be passionately and wholly surrendered to You. May my love be Your love, may my spirit be Your Spirit, may I be all that You would have me to be. Let Your will be done; for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, amen.

By Tracy Roberts

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE