As odd as it sounds I believe that Christians should be building memorials in their life. Setting reminders for themselves and even for others to see. That will bring to remembrance what God has done for them. Just as we often see done in the Old Testament. Like the memorial, the Israelites built after crossing the Jordan River.
Joshua 4:6–7 (ESV)
6 that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ 7 then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”
The idea of creating a memorial to God may seem strange in our modern culture but we need it today as much as they did then. Humans have an impressive ability to forget or simply overlook the good things from their past. Focusing only on the bad times. Which is simply sad when you really begin to think about the goodness of our Lord and all He does for his people. To combat this God’s people should have memorials that point to God all throughout their life.
Please do not misunderstand and believe that I am saying we should try to create Holy relics. Or believe that the memorial in our life will be something of spiritual significance. Really I am just saying that we need to have some form of reminder in our lives that keeps us thinking about our God and all he has done for us.
Something that keeps us from forgetting what kind of life God saved us from or the situations He has helped us to overcome. Which means it could be something as simple as an empty pill bottle from a past of addiction. Or the hospital bracelet that is a memorial of when God carried you through a trying time. The truth is anything can work as long as it reminds you of the Lord.
Having something in your life that acts as a reminder is not just something hip or fun to do. But it is able to carry a real meaning and can actually affect you in a positive way. One way that a memorial can impact the Christian life is by helping you keep focused on God in the tough times. Which the Bible says will always be a part of the Christian life.
2 Timothy 3:12 (ESV)
12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
When you have something that you see everyday and reminds you of a time when God carried you through it will strengthen your faith. It will be a constant reminder of what God can and is willing to do for you. If God’s done it before he can do it again and their is no reason you should not trust in Him.
Remembering what God has done for you is so important and not just in relation to overcoming life’s tough situations. It is important that we never forget where we came from. What we were like before God came into our life. And even our own struggles with sin.
Because when we forget the sins of our past we then view the sins of others in a different light. We become proud that we no longer struggle in those ways. Forgetting that we too once struggled in those very same ways And that we are no better than anyone else. Which is why the Bible is always quick to remind its readers that they were lost in sin at one time but because of God they overcame.
1 Corinthians 6:11 (ESV)
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Ephesians 2:1–2 (ESV)
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—
So I do believe that we should keep some reminder of the life we lived before God, as long as it does not cause you to sin by having it. To help keep us grounded and to help us sympathies with the lost world. Because God cares for the whole world and wants all people to be saved. Jesus himself made it clear that he did not come for the righteous but to save sinners. If God forgave us then he can forgive anyone else and we must never forget that!
1 Timothy 2:4–5 (ESV)
4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
Mark 2:17 (ESV)
17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
A memorial can also give you the opportunity to share with those who did not know you or possibly where not even alive at that time of your life it represents. Like your future or present children. Having something that is able to survive years of spring cleanings, moves, and that is always in sight. Will cause people to be curious about it and ask questions.
Which gives you the opportunity to speak about what God did in your life. Hopefully not only strengthening your faith with the memory it represents but also inspires faith in someone else. Which has always played a major role in why man has built and placed memorials to God around them.
Joshua 4:21–24 (ESV)
21 And he said to the people of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, 24 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”
Don’t try to be the tough person who believes they do not need reminders in their life. Beveling that you can trust in the failing human mind alone. Many have tried to rely on memoirs alone and ended up failing away from the truth. Instead start building you memorial today and remember all that God has already done for you and your family.
The memorial you build doesn’t have to be big or small or even really something you build. Again this is not like trying to build a shrine or an altar or trying to have a sacred item. All the memorial is supposed to do is point you back to God.
So the memorial in you life can be anything that reminds you of God and what is has done in your own personal life. Pictures, trinkets, a journal, anything just as long as you know what it means. And it leads you to just want to praise God for all He has done for you.
Psalm 111:1–4 (ESV)
1 Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
2 Great are the works of the Lord,
studied by all who delight in them.
3 Full of splendor and majesty is his work,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and merciful.
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