Memorials

Stonehenge War Memorial- Klickitat County, Washington State

A while back while on a trip with my brother and Dad we stopped at the Stonehenge War Memorial in Klickitat County, Washington State. Across the way from the Stonehenge replica is this memorial, shown in the picture. It lists those from Klickitat county who have laid down their lives in different wars. It's a sobering place to visit but also one that I felt honored to stand in front of. Standing there I was able to pray for the families of these brave warriors, and thank God for their sacrifice.

As an American there are few things that I hold more precious then our men and women in uniform who willingly go into danger to protect us and the freedom that we cherish. Memorial Day was last Monday and even though this post is a few days after I just want to take a moment to say thank you. To all laid down their lives in defense of our nation, thank you. To all who have had a loved one lay down their life in defense of our nation, thank you.

Switching gears a bit I want to talk about what memorials are. Why do we have them? What's the point? One of my favorite places in the Bible that talks about memorials is in Joshua 4. For now let's just look at verses 1-9.

"When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 'Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.'

So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, 'Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, "What do these stones mean?" tell them that the flow of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.'

So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the Lord had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day."

So why set up this memorial? What was the point? Well it's said right there, 'In the future, when your children ask you, "What do these stones mean?" tell them that..."
These stones weren't just a random pile of rocks. They were a remembrance, a memorial, of what God had done for the people of Israel. To remind them of how He had brought them out of Egypt, out of slavery and into the promised land. So that even after those who witnessed these miracles firsthand passed away their children and their children's children, would remember what God had done.

I am not an authority on memorials. And there's so many directions that I could go with this post but today I want to keep it simple and leave you with just a few thoughts.

First, honor those who have gone before you. Soldiers who have given up their lives for you, families who have said goodbye to loved ones so you can enjoy your freedom. Ordinary heroes who have struggled so you can enjoy the privileges that we have today.

Second, what has God done in your own life that you want to remember? What things has He brought you through that you want to share with others, that you can point to and say 'Let me tell you about this time that God brought me through this situation'. What memorial can you set up to remind you, and remind others of God's promises and faithfulness in your own life and the lives of others.