Reiner Casa + One: Joshua and the Jordan River (I'm gonna throw in some August #'s too!)

Before I share our August numbers, I want to talk a little bit about Joshua, the Israelites and the Jordan River.

Read Joshua 3:1-7; Joshua 4:1 - 5:1

(If you have the the One year chronological Bible it's pages 331-333)

God commanded Joshua to send the priests with the Ark to cross the Jordan first. The moment their feet touched the river's raging waters, the river's waters created a wall and provided dry land for the Israelites to pass on. There were a lot of other idol worshiping kings and people who feared the Israelites because they knew the God they served was all powerful.

After everyone crossed, God commanded Joshua to have one person from each tribe (12 tribes) to gather a rock from where the priests were standing and place at the river's edge as a memorial. God then asked they do the same at the place the priests were standing.

Why?

To serve as a visual reminded for generations to come. "In the future, your children will ask you, 'What do these stones mean?' Then you can tell them, 'They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the LORD'S Covenant wen across.' Theses stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever."

Pretty amazing story, eh!?!?

This week's Sabbath School lesson hit me pretty hard for various reasons; work challenges, several Ethiopian orphanages closing, empty back bedroom, etc.

We all have our own list.

Here's my take on this story:

I feel like we all face "armies" in life. Time when we are facing what feels like the impossible. We all need God's twelve stone memorials. We need the stones in the middle of the river where the waters are raging and we feel like we're Peter beginning to sink. We need them at the river's edge so that in the midst of raging waters we see up ahead God's memorial to remind us that after "walking through" and trusting, God will prevail. Finally, we need the twelve stones in our rearview mirror. We need those stones to remember that when facing the impossible, we'll make it through and to the other side, just like He has done for the Israelites and will also do for us.

Happy Sabbath!

Now, for some August numbers (again, received on Friday evening's Sabbath...pretty cool)!

Girl