Building Monuments

When I first turned my life over to God, one of my favorite praise songs I learned was “I Cast All My Cares.”

“I cast all my cares upon You.  I lay all of my burdens down at Your feet.  And anytime I don’t know what to do, I will cast all my cares upon You.”

Such a simple song with a powerful message.  To this day I still sing that song to myself when I don’t know what to do.  It soothes my soul.  You might walk by a window to my house at one of those moments and see the tears rolling down my face as I’m singing out to God with my arms outstretched wide.  The problems may not be solved or dissolved, but God gives me peace that surpasses all understanding.  I can then move on and not feel so crippled by fear or pain.

If you struggle with turning things over to God, maybe you should find a song or a Bible verse that soothes your soul - something that reminds you of God’s amazing grace and mercy. 

You might say, “Oh but you don’t know what I’m going through.”  You’re right, I don’t, but God does.  Nothing is impossible with Him.  

I thought my marriage would never survive when we were married only eight years.  I didn’t want it to.  I was at the lowest point of my life in the midst of my marriage crisis.  Divorce seemed like my only way out.  That would have been the most tragic mistake I could’ve made, to give up on my marriage.  When I began to make plans to end it, God began speaking into my life, even when I didn’t want anything to do with Him.  He eventually led me to the right path and has blessed me, and my marriage, for my obedience in sticking it out.  He blessed me for persevering when I didn’t want to.

When I struggle with something now, and turn to my favorite praise songs, I then remind myself how God miraculously saved my marriage.  If He could do that, He could certainly take care of these petty issues I deal with today that are nowhere as devastating as the crisis I faced in my marriage.

We have to build monuments to God, reminders of how He took care of us in the past.  That’s what will keep us going.  Don’t ever forget all of God’s miracles and answers in your life.  Keep a journal if you need to, and read it whenever you feel hopeless and helpless.

In Joshua chapter three, God parts the Jordan River in order for the Ark of the Covenant and the Israelites to cross.  After they crossed, the Lord told Joshua to have twelve men, one from every tribe, each gather a stone from the middle of the Jordan and put it down at the place they would stay that night. 

Joshua 4:6,7 say that these stones will “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 was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord.  When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.  These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”

That pile of stones was a powerful memorial, or monument, to what God had done for the Israelites.  Don’t overlook the amazing things God has done for you as the Israelites repeatedly did.  Most of them never made it to the Promised Land because of their disregard of God’s miracles.  We, too, frequently forget how God helped us in the past.  Keep your faith strong by visiting your monuments and reminding yourself of God’s continuous hand in your life.  He’s not finished working for you and is anxiously waiting to show you more.