vWhen my husband and I had this house built in 2010, the ground was full of rocks. Many were small, some medium and one large. I asked the builder to save the larger ones for me, especially that really big one. I had plans for it.
The Bible has several stories regarding rocks.
In Numbers 13, Moses sent twelve men, one from each tribe, into the “Promised Land” to spy and bring back a report. Out of those twelve, only two men (Caleb and Joshua) gave a good report, saying it was a wonderful land, flowing with milk and honey. Because the people believed the ten with the bad report, they wanted to stone Caleb and Joshua. God’s punishment was that everyone twenty years of age and older would die in the wilderness, everyone except Caleb and Joshua.
Fast forward.
Joshua is now in charge, and they are getting ready to enter the “Promised Land”. Joshua has chosen a man from each tribe to carry the Ark of the Covenant. Joshua told the people that when the soles of the feet of the men carrying the Ark touched the Jordan River that the flow of water would be stopped. The water coming from upstream would pile up in a heap. It was harvest time and the Jordan River always overflows its banks during that season. But guess what happened? As soon as the soles of the feet of the twelve men touched the water, the river went dry. While the twelve chosen men holding the Ark of the Covenant stood in the middle of the river, all TWO MILLION people crossed into the “Promised Land”, and not one wet foot.
Then God commanded Joshua to select twelve men (one from each tribe) and tell them to collect a stone from the middle of the river. These stones were large enough that they had to carry them on their shoulders. They carried them into camp and made a pile of the rocks.
Joshua told them, “When your children ask you, “What do these stones mean?”, you will say, “The flow of the Jordan was stopped, and we walked across on dry ground.” These stones are a permanent memorial for the People of Israel.
A memorial of rocks.
One more story about rocks.
In I Samuel the Israelites are getting ready to do battle with the Philistines. While Samuel was offering a sacrifice to God, praying for God’s help in battle, a huge thunderclap exploded among the Philistines. They panicked and fled. The Israelites chased them and won the battle.
Here’s the part about a rock.
Samuel took a single rock and set it upright, and then he named the rock “Ebenezer”, which means “Rock of Help”. Samuel said, “This marks the place where God helped us.”
Ebenezer.
Memories are important to us. We use photos and videos to help us remember. Some people use diaries or journals to help them remember.
I also use a rock.
I challenge you to find a rock, take it home and put it in a place where you will see it as you go through your day. It can become your personal “Ebenezer”. Ponder what God has done for you. Perhaps someone will ask, “What is that rock lying there for?” And you can tell a story of how God helped you.
