Memorial Stones

“From his offspring, according to the Promise, God has brought Jesus the Savior to Israel.” Acts 13:23

Saint Paul was invited by the leaders of the synagogue in Antioch to give the congregation an exhortation after the reading of the Law and the Prophets. St. Paul then proceeded to show how the God of Israel worked through their history, bringing their ancestors from Egypt, saving them for forty years in the desert, up to giving them a King as they wanted. “From King David’s descendants God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus.” 

It is good to look back at what God has done in our lives. I have a little notebook where I write what I call “Memorial Stones”. I’ve taken the idea from the Old Testament. The first time this was done was when Jacob in Genesis 28:10-22, took a stone which he had used to rest his head, poured oil over it, and set it up as a monument to commemorate a vision God gave him of angels going up and down. He said, “Truly, the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.”

When I feel that God intervened in my life, or blessed me, or spoke to me, I write it down, so as not to forget. In Psalm 77:1, we read, “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember Your wonders of old.” In Psalm 103:2, it says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.” And in Psalm 143:5, we are admonished to remember, to meditate on all God has done for us. 

I love going through my notebook, because I am reminded of how amazing God is, how good and how faithful. There are times when I especially need it, when I am weary, disheartened, feeling hopeless or frustrated. Then I am healed, restored, strengthened, and eager to go forward with a renewed spirit of purpose and hope.