Read Joshua 1:1-9.
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
What stands out to you in these verses? Write out or highlight any verses that feel important to you.
We have been learning about Moses this week. In these verses, we learn that Moses passed away. Who is his successor?
Read Joshua 4: 19-24.
19 On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. 20 And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. 21 He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea[b] when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. 24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”
In these verses we see Joshua using stones as a way to mark and remember what God has done. These stones help him remember God’s faithfulness. The stones are also a visual way that he and the Israelites can remember to tell the story of God’s faithfulness.
As we have studied faithfulness this week, is there a way that you can think of to mark God’s faithfulness? Maybe you could start your own collection of stones, or place a special bracelet around your wrist, or have a certain way of marking your journal, like a special color highlighter whenever you notice an answered prayer. Is there something that you think God may be calling you to as you reflect over these verses? Choose to respond by remembering His faithfulness and then telling others the story.
