God’s Deeds Build Faith
Backgrounder to Joshua 1-5:
Moses has died and Joshua is
appointed by God to take over
the reins of leadership. The people
are poised within view of the land
promised to their ancestors and
denied their unbelieving patents.
The task seems impossible:
a turbulent river to cross and
mighty walled cities to conquer.
So God begins to prepare His
people for days of warfare ahead.
He reminds Joshua that careful
attention to His Word brings
blessing and success.
Lord, we Remember Your Deeds:
Joshua said to the Israelites:
In the future your children will ask
What do these stones mean?
Then you can tell them: This is
where the Israelites crossed
the Jordan on dry ground.
For the Lord your God dried up
the river right before your eyes,
and He kept it dry until you were
all across, just as he did at the
Red Sea… He did this so all the
nations of the earth might know
that the Lord’s hand is powerful
and so you might fear the Lord
your God forever (Josh 4:21-24)
Lord, the Bible Your Word is full
of reminders to God’s people
to remember your mighty deeds.
In today’s verses, Joshua is
addressing the people after You
God had brought them across
the Jordan River on dry land
and into the Promised Land.
Joshua tells them to build a
memorial of this event, an altar
they could return to when they
needed a reminder of who God is
& what God had done in their lives.
Lord, U are calling us to remember
because looking at what You had
done in the past builds our faith
for the present and the future.
You are promising that the same
power You had demonstrated in
the past is available in the present.
So, we will remember Your deeds
of grace and your lovingkindness.
Lord, Help us build altar of memory
stones for they create in us an
alertness to Your hand in our lives.
Help us to be always be on the
lookout for signs of God’s hand
in the circumstances of our lives.
And grant our lives be an altar
and a tangible expression of
your power and provision.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.