Joshua said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?” tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.”

What makes a pile of rocks more than just a pile of rocks? It’s connected to an important or life-changing memory! And suddenly, the worthless pile of rocks become a conduit to send a person back to that particular moment, to help them remember and experience the grace, joy, excitement and thankfulness they experienced in the first place.

Such was the reason God told his people to gather 12 rocks as they crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land. Why…because with a simple pile of rocks, he wanted to remind them each time they passed them of his care, grace, guidance, forgiveness and love which had sustained them through their difficult 40 year journey in the wilderness. He knew they could easily forget once they got on with their new lives. He understood they might get so focused on their own abilities or worse, their fears and get discouraged, anxious or overwhelmed and they would falter or give up. No, he wanted them to remember how he provided everything they needed so they could move forward with great certainty and joyful trust in him. And he would do it with a pile of rocks!

Such is our task this weekend as we gather to remember the many ways in which God has showered his care, grace, guidance, forgiveness and love to our church these past 50 years. We might not pile a bunch of rocks together. Instead, we might tell stories and swap memories of important moments when we felt God’s grace in a deep and caring way. But the intention will be the same…to remember, rejoice and renew our trust in God so we boldly step into the future wherever he leads!