With summer wrapping up and school starting back in session, I have been thinking about the importance of reflecting on our past while we strive for our future.
In the story of Joshua, the Lord miraculously held back the Jordan River so that the Israelites could cross into the Promised Land on dry ground. God had told Joshua to have twelve men, one from each tribe, carry a large stone across the river. They stacked those large stones together as an altar to serve as a reminder of what God had done for them.
Have you ever built a mental altar? How do you remember the times of seeing God move in your circumstance? Earlier in my faith walk, I spent a very long season camped out in a lonely valley. As God took down my tent to move me to higher ground, I mentally built an altar to remember my time there. I knew if I could mark that season in history, I wouldn’t have to relive it.
George Santayana, a renowned Spanish-American philosopher once said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” If I didn’t take note of how God moved me from the depth of my valley, I would end up there again. He didn’t let me stay because that’s not what He has intended for me. Can you relate? Has God moved you out of a valley and brought you to higher ground?
Mental altars help us not only remember where we’ve been, they help direct where we’re going. Like mile markers on the highway, mental altars show us how God directs our path. Think back at a time when you saw God clearly move in your life. Now, think about the time you saw Him after that. And the time after that… Recalling those times are much easier if you’re looking for the altars you built. If you didn’t build a mental altar at the time, you’d better get to building it now! 😉
Our journey of faith is long and challenging. We need to know that we don’t walk it alone. Remembering how God was with you yesterday will get you through today. Taking note of how God is moving in your life today will be strength and encouragement for your walk tomorrow.
We may not be where we’re going … but we’re not where we were!
Be blessed!
Jennifer
“Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” Psalm 126:2