YOUR FAITHFULNESS IN GIVING MATTERS
As we step into this new season together, we’re reminded that every act of faith begins with trust. One way we express our trust in God is through giving our tithes and offerings. When we give, we acknowledge that everything we have comes from Him, and we partner with His work in and through our church. Your faithfulness in giving helps us continue sharing God’s love, serving our community, and stepping boldly into the plans He has for us. Let’s give with hearts full of gratitude and courage, trusting that God will provide for every need.
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So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.
When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”
So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to 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.”
So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the LORD had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day. —Joshua 3:14-4:8
When we remember God’s faithfulness, it fuels our faith for the challenges ahead.
How often do we stop to remember the times God’s faithfulness carried us through?
Gratitude goes beyond ‘mine’ and ‘yours’ and sees that all of life is a gift. —Henri Nouwen
We worship God by remembering His story and finding our place in it. —Stanley Hauerwas
When we remember the good things God has done, it actually rewires our brains to trust more and fear less.
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. —Joshua 4:6-7
Forgetting makes room for fear. Remembering fuels faith.
What are the moments in your life that remind you of God’s faithfulness?
3 SIMPLE WAYS TO REMEMBER GOD’S GOODNESS IN THE PAST
WRITE IT DOWN. List the ways you’ve seen God show up in your life.
CREATE SOMETHING VISIBLE. Make your own altar: a photo, a keepsake, a special place.
SHARE YOUR STORY. Tell someone how God has been faithful to you.
We need to remember in order to find our way forward. Forgetting leads to losing our bearings, while remembering anchors us in who we are and what truly matters. —Miroslav Volf
FOR PRAYER AND REFLECTION
What are the specific moments in your life where you’ve seen God’s faithfulness? How can you intentionally remember and give thanks for those moments this week?
Are there areas in your life right now where fear or doubt have taken root? How can remembering God’s past faithfulness help you trust Him with those challenges today?
WILL YOU OPEN YOUR HEART TO JESUS TODAY?
Maybe as we talked about God’s faithfulness, you realized you’ve been trying to handle life all on your own. Or maybe you feel like it’s time to take a step closer to Jesus—to trust Him in a way you never have before. If that’s you, this moment is for you. God is here, and He’s reaching out to you. You don’t need to have all the answers or have everything figured out. All you need to do is say, “Yes.”
If you’re ready to trust Him with your next step, you might pray a prayer like this one:
God, thank You for always being out ahead of me, showing me the way. I know there have been times I’ve tried to run ahead or dragged my feet instead of trusting You. I’m done with that. Today, I’m choosing to put my trust in You—not just with my words but with my steps. Help me to keep my eyes on You, to move at Your pace, and to lean into Your wisdom. Lead me into the promises You’ve planned for me, and give me the courage to step out in faith, one step at a time. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Whether you’re taking your first step of faith or your next one, know that you’re not alone.
God is with you, and so are we!
OUR BENEDICTION (for personal prayer and reflection)
*May the beauty of God be reflected in our eyes,
the love of God be reflected in our hands,
the wisdom of God be reflected in our words,
and the knowledge of God flow from our hearts,
that everyone around us might see and believe.*