Stones of Remembrance
The days’ worth remembering – I remember I swore never to be a cheerleader, I remember my first kiss, and I remember the day I decided not to be a college athlete anymore. We all have those specific moments in life that we can remember every single detail. These moments seemed to be so important to my 7, 16, and 19-year-old brain. Everyone has a reason why their moments stick out, it was embarrassing, thrilling, or even heartbreaking. Whatever may be the case, you remember that moment it altered your life. In the Old Testament when a special moment with God was to be remembered it was often marked with a stone, what I call “stones of remembrance.” The words sustaining, providing, and convincing have all been a part of my stones of remembrance.
The Sustaining Stone
Psalm 62:5–8
“My soul, wait in silence for God.” David was calling to wake up his soul, he was calling for something worthy enough to be inspected. How often do we focus on unworthy things in our lives that we seek to sustain our soul? In the second part of the verse he says, “He only is my rock.” That rock or stone is in the context of a hiding-place, a cave, a source of security. In my life, I have often awoken my soul for two things: sports and boys. They became my place of security, identity, and fulfillment. The passage says, “He ONLY is my rock and my salvation.” I finally began to see what I had made my “rocks,” and at the end of my freshman year of college, I let them go. But if you keep reading David says, “The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God– Trust in Him– Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.” These words have brought me to tears on more than one occasion. After I let go of those rocks in my life, those words began to heal my heart. I now can look back and remember, He alone is my strength, He alone is my place of refuge, and He begs me to pour out my burdens to Him. He cares about you and wants to be that sustaining stone in your life.
The Providing Stone
Exodus 33:12–23
Moses said, “if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I might find favor in Your sight– The Lord said, ‘My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.'” Earlier in verse 2, the Lord promised He would send an angel before Israel into the promise land. Moses is calling out to the Lord pressing to know who He was going to send. We see a glimpse of the personal side of our God here, in verse 21 He says, “Behold there is a place by Me. And you shall stand there on the rock–” The Lord provides Moses the chance to experience His presence as He covered him in the cleft of the rock, while He passed by. Wow, talk about a special moment to remember! If I was Moses, I would never forget the rock where the Lord provided an opportunity to experience His presence. I can look back and remember the times I was drowning in loneliness and when I longed for the presence of someone. The dry moments in my walk, where I begged for God to provide hope, love, and assurance to me. We have a heavenly Father that wants to provide His presence to us. Remember that He goes before you at all times, remember that He wants to provide you rest, and remember He wants to meet you at the rock and reveal His compassion and grace to you.
The Convincing Stone
2 Corinthians 5:14–15
“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died? And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” Paul experienced pain, hardships, and horrible suffering all across the New Testament. He had to remember the times the Lord provided and convince himself that what Christ did for him was worth the struggles. How did Paul convince himself of this? The passage says he felt “compelled by the love of Christ.” He was convinced that if you have accepted Christ you have spiritually died to yourself. So, are we truly convinced that we no longer live life for ourselves? If we do, then we look at those stones in our life and are convinced they were for our good. Those moments that you will never forget in your life, how do you convince yourself that they are for good? I daily have to convince myself of who sustains me. I have to convince myself of how the Lord has provided for me over and over again. And on those days where I don’t “feel” like God is present, the days I don’t “feel” His love, and the days I don’t “feel” like serving Him, I have to convince myself of the why the love He compels in me and the good He wants for me in my life.
Your stones might not be pretty, they might have scars attached, but why not use those stones to help convince others of His love and His good for their life. Take a moment and look back at the summer and reflect on His goodness for you. Allow yourself to use those stones to propel a new season of growing and being compelled by His love.
About the Author
Hello! My name is Grace and I was born and raised in Memphis, TN. Fun fact: I’m the youngest of six siblings! A big family in the South means that I was homeschooled and with four brothers, became a huge sports fan. I grew up living and breathing basketball and it has always been a passion of mine. After a year of college ball, I transferred to the University of Memphis to study Sport & Leisure Management. Go Tigers Go! This summer I interned at Bellevue with Next Gen and fell in love with the students. I am so excited for this next season in my life where I get to continue to intern and serve in the Middle School department at Bellevue. I have a huge heart for teaching girls their need for studying God’s Word and how to apply that truth to fight “feelings”. When I’m not studying in a coffee shop or hanging out with students, I am in the gym and eating my meal prep, choosing all things 901, and longing to travel to new places.