Memorial: Monday January 11, 2010

JANUARY 11 TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY JAN.11

MEMORIAL

DEFINITION:

Something designed to preserve the memory of a person or event.

SCRIPTURE:

“In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. When it (the Ark) crossed the Jordan the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” Joshua 4:6-7.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

After crossing the Jordan River the first thing that God instructed Joshua to do was to build a memorial. While the priests who were holding the Ark of the Covenant were still standing in the middle of the Jordan River, Joshua, in obedience to God, instructed one man from each of the twelve tribes to take a stone from the Jordan river at the spot where the priests were standing. These twelve men then carried the stones to the place where they were to camp the first night in the Promised Land.

There at Gilgal, Joshua set up a monument as a memorial to remind future generations of the miracle God had done in parting the Jordan River. Children who were born after the crossing of the river would see the stones and ask what the stones meant? Their parents would have the opportunity to tell them the story and teach them about God and what He had done for them.

The memorial also served as a memorial to all the people of the earth, past, present and future that the God of Israel is powerful and a God of miracles.

We took our children across America to Washington D.C. to see all the memorials and historical places in our nation’s capital. As we visited the Washington memorial, the Lincoln memorial and others, we had the opportunity to teach our children about who these men were, what they believed and what they had done for our country. We were able to point out to them the impact that God had on their lives and in the forming of America.

As parents it is our responsibility to tell our children about who God is and what He has done for us. This trip to our nation’s capitol made a lasting impression on our six children, especially the role that God played in the founding of America. On every memorial we saw there was a scripture verse or a spiritual thought. The words “in God we trust” are imprinted on our coins and they serve as a reminder that America was founded by men who put their trust in God. Faith in God has made our nation strong down through these years since our independence. Now God is rapidly being banned by our government leaders and this could well bring about the fall of our country. Frankly, it is up to us as Christian parents and grandparents today to teach our children and grandchildren to trust in God and work to keep America a nation that puts God in the center of all its activities.

Children love to ask questions and as parents we need to be ready to give an answer. Many parents we talk to are not ready or prepared to answer the questions given by their children because they do not feel they have the time and if it has a spiritual theme they are not in tune with the Lord and therefore are not able to answer. When your children ask you about God, do you take the time to talk to them about who God is and what He has done for you? Do you share with them how God has blessed you, how He has answered your prayers and how He continues to meet your needs? Telling your children about God is one of the keys to having a happy family.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is:

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13.

PRAYER:

Thank You Lord for all that You have done in my life. Help me to always take time to talk to my children about God so that they can know Him and understand all that He has done for me and know that He will do the same for them.